Woman who took groceries without paying has 'run out of road', judge informs her

A judge has told a young mother who admitted hiding almost €120 worth of groceries from a Mullingar supermarket in a buggy at a time when she was under two suspended prison sentences that she has “run out of road”.

Larisa Michile (23), with an address at 139 Meadowbrook, Willow Park, Athlone, Westmeath appeared at last week’s sitting of Mullingar District Court having pleaded guilty to carrying out the theft at Lidl, Patrick Street, Mullingar, Westmeath on June 21, 2025.

Ms Michile, who entered that plea at a court sitting in September, had only been served with her most recent suspended prison term a sitting of Midleton District Court on May 29, some three weeks before she was caught by security personnel at the supermarket in Mullingar.

Gardaí had been alerted to the incident just after 1pm and officers discovered the accused had been in the shop a short time earlier with a number of other family members while pushing a young child in a buggy.

The court heard Ms Michile was identified on CCTV walking towards the shop exit and passing all points of payments with €117.58c of items concealed in the buggy. It was later revealed the young child Ms Michile was pushing was her one-year-old nephew.

Ms Michile later signed a cautioned memo statement and admitted the theft, leading to her arrest and a Section 4 charge being issued.

The accused was also charged with stealing a pair of black and white skirts, together with a necklace and bracelet from Nells Closet, North Gate Street, Athlone, Westmeath nine days prior to the Mullingar shoplifting incident.

Ms Michile, it had previously been revealed, had nine previous convictions, seven for theft. Two suspended prison sentences were imposed on Ms Michile, the most recent the six-month suspended sentence at Midleton District Court on May 29.

Judge Bernadette Owens, at that initial hearing, ordered a probation report to include a possible 100 hour community service order being issued.

That decision had been taken when it was confirmed Ms Michele had 76 hours of an existing 120-hour community service order in lieu of four months in prison.

When Ms Michele came before Judge Owens last Thursday, it was revealed she had completed a pre-existing order and had cooperated fully with the Probation Services.

Sgt Orla Keenan said compensation had also been handed over as Judge Owens studied the probation report.

In remarking that Ms Michele was under a probation supervision bond at present, Judge Owens warned her of what awaited if she failed to take heed the latitude she was being given by the courts.

Issuing a 100-hour community service order in lieu of four months in prison, Judge Owens told Ms Michele: “If she comes back before not just me, but any other court, she can take it she will have run out of road and the court won’t even be looking at a suspended sentence.”