Married couple avoid conviction for theft from Church charity box

A married couple have avoided a conviction after admitting to stealing from a charity box in a Donegal Church.

Flora Manolescu, aged 42, and his 40-year-old wife, Mariana Zamfir, each of no fixed abode, were charged with stealing from a donations box at St Mary’s Church in Cockhill, Buncrana, on April 23, 2023.

The pair, both Romanian nationals, were brought before a special sitting of Sligo District Court on Monday night and appeared before Tuesday’s sitting of Letterkenny District Court.

Gardai were called to the Church following a report of the theft and the duo were observed interfering with two donation boxes.

One of the boxes was opened by Manolescu, using an unknown implement, while Zamfir appeared to act as a look-out, the court heard.

The contents of the box scattered over the floor. Both picked the money off the floor, put it in their pockets before leaving the scene when confronted by a passer-by.

The court heard that the priest was unable to give an account of the exact contents of the money stolen as there had been a funeral in the Church on the same day.

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that the matter be dealt with by summary disposal in the District Court.

Zamfir and Manolescu spoke through a translator to plead guilty to the theft.

Each was charged that on April 23, 2023 at Cockhill Church, Cockhill Road, Buncrana, they stole property to wit, the contents of a charity box with unknown amounts of money, the property of Fr Francis Bradley. The offence is contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001.

St Mary’s Church, Cockhill

The pair were arrested on Sunday. Garda Keith Conlon, who was on patrol, observed a vehicle and he recognised the occupants as the person he viewed on CCTV.

Zamfir and Manolescu were found in possession of items including a screwdriver, a cordless drill, pliers, a modified measuring tape, heavy duty type cut into inch-long pieces, scissors and gloves, all of which were concealed under the boot carpet.

Following their arrest, the couple made admissions and told Gardai that they had taken between €30-€40.

Mr Rory O’Brien, representing both Manolescu and Zamfir, said the pair wished to put forward ‘a wholesome apology’.

He said the couple arrived in Ireland around three weeks ago. Manolescu had planned to obtain work as a welder through his brother, but that idea ended following a fall-out between the two.

“There is no excuse and they have fully admitted their wrongdoing,” Mr O’Brien said. “They put their hands up at an early stage and they have no previous convictions.”

Mr O’Brien told the court that the couple planned to return to Romania via boat this Friday and indicated that they do not intend to return to Ireland. Mr O’Brien asked the court to bear in mind that his clients tendered an early plea and had no previous convictions.

Judge Éiteáin Cunningham applied the Probation Offenders Act and directed that the money recovered be returned to Fr Bradley.