A woman with 182 past convictions who was jailed for multiple thefts and for consistently missing court appearances has had two-thirds of her 18-month prison sentence suspended on appeal, reports Breaking News.
Patricia Ducie (50), of Gardiner Street Lower, Mountjoy, Dublin 1, had admitted to 22 offences in the District Court.
These included 12 theft offences, four counts of possessing stolen goods, five failures to show up in court after being granted bail, and one offence for possessing an item with intent to use it for theft, reports Breaking News.
At the District Court Appeals Court on Tuesday, it was revealed that Ducie had a total of 182 previous convictions.
The court heard that on January 27th this year, €1,100 worth of alcohol and beverages were taken from a Tesco on Maynooth Road in Celbridge, Co Kildare. Gardaí located Ducie and another man hiding in a bush, after which she was arrested, reports Breaking News.
Ducie was also detained in connection with two thefts from Butlers Chocolates Cafes, where she stole €132 and €100 worth of chocolates. Additional thefts involved goods taken from Evoke, Marks and Spencer, and Tribe stores.
All the charges were considered together at the District Court on March 18th, 2025, where a judge sentenced her to 18 months in custody, suspending two months of the term, reports Breaking News.
Seosaimhin Ni Chathasaigh BL, Ducie’s defence barrister, told the appeals court on Tuesday that the thefts were driven by addiction and not financial need. She said Ducie had entered guilty pleas in the District Court and was only appealing the severity of the sentence.
She explained that Ducie had endured a “bleak” and neglected upbringing, which led to her early use of tablets and crack cocaine, reports Breaking News.
Ms Ni Chathasaigh informed the court that Ducie had made sincere efforts to rehabilitate herself during her time at the Dochas Centre and was now drug-free.
Delivering her ruling, Judge Catherine White said that 12 months of Ducie’s 18-month sentence would be suspended, reports Breaking News.
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