A "shopaholic" store manager who "couldn't help herself" has been given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to do 240 hours' community service at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lisa Arkins (28), of Seabury Lawn, Mornington, Co Meath, "helped herself" to €20,000 of the takings of Games World. She took the money over a period of several months from her appointment as manager of the company's Liffey Street branch in Dublin city centre in 2003.
Arkins pleaded guilty to two sample charges of stealing cash to the value of €1,200, the property of Michael Neary, managing director of Games World, North West Business Park, Blanchardstown, in August 2003 and in January 2004.
A further similar 10 counts on the indictment were taken into consideration.
Judge Desmond Hogan noted that Arkins did not have any previous convictions, the money had been repaid and she had been assessed as a suitable candidate for community service.
He said a custodial sentence would be inappropriate and it was not likely she would be before the courts again.
He imposed a two-year sentence but suspended it on condition that she entered into a good behaviour bond for two years and completed 240 hours' community service.
She confessed to the company management when confronted about missing bank lodgments. She said that from her appointment as manager of the Liffey Street shop she had stolen about €20,000 because she had an addiction as a "shopaholic" and could not help herself.
She said she began taking about €600 weekly about June or July 2003 and had spent all the money.
The theft was detected after the financial controller, Ronan Minahan, queried a missing lodgment in January 2004.