Man stole €40,000 from Aldi Belmullet
IE ARCHIVE 06/03/2014 ... /Aldi sign. /Picture: Denis Minihane.
A supermarket manager has pleaded guilty to stealing €40,000 from his employer in order to feed a gambling addiction.
David Ward, of Rhebogue Meadows, Rhebogue, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to six counts of theft.
Ward admitted to stealing physical sums of cash from Aldi in Belmullet on six separate dates over a 10-day period. On August 18, 2022, €5,000 was taken, and a further €5,000 was stolen the next day.
On August 24, 2022, Ward took €15,000 in cash and stole €5,000 on August 25, 2022, and the same amount again the following day. On August 27, 2022, he stole €10,000 from the supermarket, giving a total of €40,000.
Barrister Patrick Murphy said his client worked as a store manager at Aldi in Belmullet at the time of the offences and developed gambling addiction issues.
He said Ward is addressing those issues and there will significant mitigation outlined to the court when the case is fully heard.
Mr Murphy said the accused has entered into a repayment plan with Aldi with certain amounts already paid back.
Judge Eoin Garavan adjourned the case for sentencing to February 9, 2024. The judge asked that probation and medical reports be prepared for that date.
