Paid £102 to court for two bottles of aftershave

Brian Niall Vint, Edenderry Park, Banbridge, at a previous court admitted the theft of aftershave, valued at £102, on November 5 last year.

The case was adjourned to see if he could make the necessary restitution.

A solicitor representing the defendant said she had the money to pay for the items and this could be handed in to the court.

A public prosecutor told the court that the defendant went into a branch of Gordon’s Chemists.

He was seen taking a bottle of aftershave from a counter and then another bottle from a shelf before leaving without making any payment for the aftershave.

He was identified by staff and when interviewed by police he said he had no recollection of what happened.

His solicitor said her client had no memory of the incident because he had drink taken.

She added that the CCTV showed Vint was clearly under the influence.

She explained that Vint had to get medication on prescription and he went to this store so he was well known to staff.

The solicitor added that her client no longer had any involvement with drugs and has put them behind him in his life.

She said that he had a suspended sentence which would have expired about a month after this incident.

The court heard his previous conviction for theft was for stealing a chocolate bar.

District Judge, Mr Paul Copeland, said the defendant had 27 previous convictions, mainly for drugs offences, and what he had taken were items which were high value and readily saleable.

He said he would take a clement view on this occasion and imposed a conditional discharge for two years and made a compensation order for £102.