Before court for stealing from a handbag on train to Sligo

Gregory McMorrow, aged 28, from 47 Caltragh Crescent, Sligo, appeared before Judge Sandra Murphy on February 18, 2025, after pleading guilty to stealing a wallet from a passenger aboard a train traveling from Dublin to Sligo. The theft occurred on March 2, 2024, while on the train, before McMorrow and another man got off at Boyle Train Station. The victim noticed her bag had been opened and her wallet was missing after the two men had been moving around in their seats.

Judge Murphy remarked that it was "a very nasty theft," emphasizing that passengers should be able to expect their property to remain safe while traveling. McMorrow, who has 18 previous convictions—including seven for theft—was accompanied by an older male who was not brought before the court in connection with the incident. McMorrow’s solicitor, Tom MacSharry, requested a probation report, citing his client’s struggles with mental health and addiction as mitigating factors.

The victim immediately alerted train staff upon discovering the theft, and after the two men exited the train at Boyle Station, she followed them and reported them to Gardaí. CCTV footage from Boyle Train Station was used to identify McMorrow. While the wallet was later recovered, the cash was not.

The judge acknowledged the seriousness of the crime and McMorrow’s prior convictions but allowed time for a probation report to be prepared. A follow-up date was set for April 15, 2025, for sentencing. McMorrow’s extensive criminal history, including multiple theft convictions, means he faces more severe consequences, especially with a suspended sentence from a prior offense pending.

Judge Murphy concluded, "It’s an extremely nasty theft. Someone traveling on a train expects their belongings to be safe," before remanding McMorrow on continuing bail.

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