A mother who claimed she won the Irish Lottery after being caught stealing from the pharmacy where she worked has avoided prison. Lisa Gallagher, 39, admitted theft by employee of £5,381.87 from Davey's Chemists in Huyton, Liverpool, between February and October 2024.
Initial admission and denial
When confronted by owner John Davey in December 2024, Gallagher admitted borrowing the money and promised to repay it the following Monday. However, she failed to attend work and later told police she had only confessed because she feared losing her job, alleging her employer was angry and had a nasty reputation. She also claimed she had won money on the Irish and New York lotteries, which she used to fund a holiday.
Court proceedings
At Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, prosecutor Paul Blasbery detailed how discrepancies were first noticed in October 2024, with shortfalls over eight months totalling £5,381.87. Gallagher's partner told police he knew nothing about the money and thought she had left such behaviour behind.
Defending, Simran Garcha said Gallagher accepted full responsibility and expressed genuine remorse. She described her client's financial difficulties, including rent arrears and council tax debts, and said the offending was out of character. Gallagher, a mother of two, had a strong work history before the offence and now struggles to find employment due to the conviction.
Judge's warning
Judge Brian Cummings KC noted a very unattractive feature of the case: Gallagher tried to lie her way out of it in a nasty way, making accusations against the victim. He said she had breached a high degree of trust and highlighted two aggravating factors: the eight-month duration of the offending and the fact that the business already had debt problems.
Despite lacking remorse, the judge handed Gallagher a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days. He warned her that her cards had all been played and that any further offence would likely lead to immediate imprisonment.
Gallagher, of Gretton Road, Huyton, appeared in the dock wearing all black clothing with her brown hair tied up in a bun. She has not repaid any of the stolen money.
