Woman with 254 convictions used forged prescription in Laois

A woman with 254 previous convictions attempted to use a forged prescription in Portlaoise. 

Lyndsey Ryan (42) of 93 Errigal Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12, pleaded guilty to possession of and using a false instrument at Boots Pharmacy, Laois Shopping Centre, on April 28, 2024. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the incident happened at 1.10pm on the date in question. He said the woman was identified on  CCTV. 

“She has 254 convictions and a lot of them are of the same type,”  Sgt Kirby told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

“They are all for the same. They are all for forged prescriptions,” noted Judge Andrew Cody. 

Solicitor Philip Meagher said all of her previous stem from a chronic addiction and related primarily to sleeping tablets.  He said the offending spans over a 15 year period back to 2011. 

“When is she going to cop on?” asked Judge Cody. 

Mr Meagher said she had completed a six week residential programme between April and June 2025.  “She is now on daily medication to deal with her issues,” he explained. 

He said the woman suffered from PTSD and anxiety and had gone down the self medicating route. 

Mr Meagher described her offending as “sad and pathetic” and he said, “she wasn’t particularly good at what she was doing”. He said she was addressing her issues. 

READ ALSO: Laois business to hold fundraiser for Jack and Jill

Judge Cody said he would allow the woman a chance to provide evidence that she was addressing her issues. 

He adjourned the matter back to Portlaoise District Court on June 4 but warned the defendant that she “has an uphill battle to stay out of prison” due to her previous convictions.