Keady man who stole £400 of goods from Tesco jailed for eight months
"This is now, if I'm right, his 21st theft. It is a relatively high value theft as well. His driving record is also very poor. In short, this will be an immediate custodial sentence today."
A Keady man who stole over £400 worth of goods from Tesco and drove off from the scene despite being disqualified has been jailed for eight months.
Patrick Joseph Ward (34), of Granemore Park, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday, via videolink from Maghaberry, charged with theft, driving whilst disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.
The court was told that on November 3 last year, police attended Tesco in Craigavon followed reports of a theft which had occurred at 8:45pm the previous evening.
A male and female had attempted to leave the store with around £400 worth of goods without paying.
When they attempted to leave, the barrier alarm was triggered and the suspects were stopped by a security guard.
The goods were then recovered by staff, who observed the man and woman leaving in a Ford Mondeo, with the defendant driving.
The defendant was later arrested for other matters on November 7 - and was further arrested for theft, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
At interview, he admitted the theft but denied driving the vehicle.
A defence lawyer appearing in court explained that the defendant had received a six month sentence for driving matters the day before, and a four month sentence for shoplifting a number of days prior.
Conceding that the defendant's record "does him no favours", he added that his client suffers from an addiction and his offending was to fund this habit.
District Judge Ranaghan, while stating he saw "merit" in imposing a suspended sentence, continued: "I then look at this man's criminal record and it takes it way outside of that lenient disposal. This is now, if I'm right, his 21st theft. It is a relatively high value theft as well. His driving record is also very poor. In short, this will be an immediate custodial sentence today."
Judge Ranaghan imposed a total custodial sentence of eight months, alongside a driving disqualification of three years.