By Irishexaminer.com,Liam Heylin

Copyright irishexaminer

The woman was dining at a table in Nell’s Wine Bar after 9.30pm that night when the designer handbag was snatched.

“A member of the public recovered it a short distance away and it was returned to the owner,” Insp O’Donovan said.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

Now, at Cork District Court, defendant John Campion, 36, of Cork Simon Community, has pleaded guilty to the charge of theft.

Insp O’Donovan said the accused had 92 previous convictions, of which nine were for theft, three for deception and 12 for burglary.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, suggested the matter would probably have been dealt with in the context of earlier sentencing but it did not come to court with other offences dealt with at this time.

“He is originally from the Mallow area. He had been in treatment and he is trying to get back into it,” Mr Burke said.

Judge Philip O’Leary said: “I am going to give him a suspended sentence. He has an inveterate difficulty with thefts.”

The judge imposed a sentence of five months suspended on condition he would keep the peace for the next 12 months.