John McDonagh, a 46-year-old man with 63 previous convictions for 135 offences, has been sentenced to two years in prison for robbing a dessert shop in St Helens. The incident occurred at Shako on Boardman Street around 10am on June 6, 2025, when McDonagh was found behind the counter taking cash from the till.
Robbery details and victim confrontation
Mobeen Khaliq, the staff member on duty, discovered McDonagh helping himself to fistfuls of money. When she stood between him and the exit, he told her to “get away from me” before barging past her and fleeing. Initially suspected of stealing up to £700, McDonagh later claimed in a basis of plea that he had taken only around £70. A mobile phone from the counter was also stolen during the incident.
Defendant's criminal history and addiction
McDonagh's record includes four burglaries at commercial premises since 2020 and 65 theft-related offences. His defence barrister, Brendan Carville, told Liverpool Crown Court: “My client is full of remorse. He has said to apologise through me to the court. If anyone ever wants to see how addiction can wreck a whole life, look at this defendant. Prison is more home than anywhere else. Most of time, he is homeless. The money he took from this shop, he handed over for drugs.”
Judge's remarks and sentencing
Sentencing on Monday, July 20, Judge Simon Medland KC described McDonagh's criminal record as among the “worst he has ever seen.” He told McDonagh: “I am not going to keep you long with some great lecture. You have heard it all before from judges and magistrates, left, right and centre. You are the only person in your life who can hopefully, at some point, make the decision to get off drugs. If you do, your life will be transformed for the better. If you don't, I am afraid you will be killing yourself. Look at yourself. You have been in and out of prison. It has led to you committing this mean offence, helping yourself to money that wasn't yours because you needed drugs. You pushed her out of the way and off you went, and I'm afraid it won't do.”
