Woman sentenced to eight months in prison by Carlow District Court for theft
The Charlotte Rooms, Tullow Street, Carlow
A BRAZILIAN national was sentenced to eight months in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of theft at Carlow District Court.
The court heard that Crislaine DeSantos (32) of 219 Charlotte Rooms, Charlotte Street, Carlow had, on 20 March 2025, obtained the injured party’s bank card with permission to pay a solicitor for a court case. However, Ms DeSantos spent over €1,100 through a series of transactions that she did not have permission for including a €250 cash withdrawal, €167.37 at Tesco, €128 at Electro City for an ESB top-up and €30 on a mobile phone top-up.
On 8 October 2025, Ms DeSantos did not show up to court and a bench warrant was issued. On 25 November, she pleaded guilty to the four charges. Her case was meant to be heard on 4 February, but she made no appearance and was then arrested on 18 February.
Alex Rafter for the defence said that “the court must be frustrated with my client” as she had not engaged with the probation services after Judge Gerladine Carthy ordered a probation report.
“I have given this lady every opportunity,” Judge Carthy said.
Mr Rafter said that she had travelled home to Brazil in December because her father had died and she had only come back a few weeks ago. In response, Judge Carthy said that Ms DeSantos’s first non-appearance had been in November.
The court heard that Ms DeSantos has no previous convictions.
Mr Rafter told the court that the aggravating factor in sentencing Ms DeSantos was that a gentleman she knew had offered her help and assistance. He said that the victim is a good, charitable person and his client had taken advantage of that.
Mr Rafter said that Ms DeSantos had arrived in Ireland in 2012 and had not got into trouble before this instance, that she made full admissions in an interview and had co-operated with Det Garda Kieran Shields during the investigation.
Mr Rafter said that Ms De Santos accepted that she did not have permission to spend the money, was willing to engage in community service and wanted to pay the money back. The court also heard that Ms DeSantos currently works in Dunnes Stores.
Mr Rafter told the court that there were still options open to keep her on the right path and, while acknowledging that the court was frustrated with the lack of a probation report, he asked the court to consider what the benefit to the injured party would be from imprisoning her.
At sentencing, Judge Carthy said that Ms DeSantos had made no engagement with the probation services despite their attempts. She said that the matter before the court was serious, that she had been entrusted to pay a bill and had breached the injured party’s trust on four occasions to benefit herself.
“I can only do so much,” Judge Carthy said, as there was “no evidence of remorse before the court”.
As Ms DeSantos had not engaged with the probation services, Judge Carthy ruled that community service was not appropriate and that Ms DeSantos’s behaviour had “left the court in a corner”. Judge Carthy convicted and sentenced Ms DeSantos to eight months’ imprisonment on one count of theft, with the other three counts taken into consideration.
A short while after that sentence was handed down, during a break in court proceedings, Mr Rafter asked if Judge Carthy might fix recognisance for his client.
“I’m not minded to,” Judge Carthy said.
Mr Rafter pleaded on behalf of his client, telling the court that she had three children who needed picking up from a crèche later that afternoon and that her phone was out of battery. He said that Ms DeSantos had been in tears.
Judge Carthy said: “For you, Mr Rafter, I will.”
She fixed recognisance at €500 own bond, €200 cash and ordered Ms DeSantos not to contact the injured party directly or indirectly.
