Man caught putting salmon up his jumper

Darius Brazas, Toragh Park, Newry, admitted stealing goods to the value of £8.66 from the store on February 17 this year.

Sentencing in the case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

Banbridge Magistrates Court heard last Thursday that at 6.40pm police were called to Tesco after staff confronted two men who were putting groceries into the boot of a car.

There were two items, fish and moisturiser, valued at £16.66, which had not been paid for. The theft was captured on CCTV which showed one male taking Tesco salmon and putting it up his jumper while the other male, the defendant, took a box of moisturiser from a shelf, removed the product and put the empty box back on the shelf.

They were confronted by staff from the store but drove off in a vehicle which belonged to the defendant.

When at a later date police attended at the defendant’s address the moisturiser was found in his bathroom.

During interview with police Brazas admitted being in Tesco but denied the theft and would not account for the moisturiser that was found. He also never identified the other male with him.

A barrister representing the defendant said that his client was in breach of a suspended sentence and he had an issue with shoplifting.

Deputy District Judge Laura Ievers told the defendant that when she saw this offence and the fact he was in breach of a suspended sentence it seemed to her ‘at first blink’ the only option was to send him straight to jail.

The judge said she was going to give Brazas ‘one last opportunity’ and imposed a 12 month probation order and ordered him to pay £8.66 restitution. She also banning him from entering Tesco at The Outlet in the next 12 months.