A Lurgan man with an “atrocious record for petty theft” has been sentenced to five months in prison after stealing £7 worth of goods from an Armagh store.
Donald Brian McComb, 32, of North Street, appeared at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court via video link from Maghaberry on Friday charged with theft along with resisting and assaulting a police designated person.
The incident occurred on February 20, when the defendant stole goods to the value of £7 from Emerson’s supermarket in the city centre.
Court heard that McComb had spent two months in custody for this offence and only now had his chance to plead at his first opportunity.
Defence Counsel informed District Judge Bernie Kelly the defendant was also to appear at Lisburn court for a pre-sentence report regarding a matter which predated this offence.
Judge Kelly stated that McComb had an “atrocious record for petty theft” adding that he in fact had a five-month suspended sentence imposed just a month before this incident.
The defence explained that this offence had been “alcohol-fuelled” and that the defendant had “no recollection” of the theft.
They told Judge Kelly that this was the motivating factor behind the pre-sentence report which had been requested in Lisburn, to help McComb deal with his alcohol problem.
Judge Kelly said that the offending was “so serious” she had been left with “no option”, the defendant was sentenced to three months for both offences which were to run concurrently.
She also reduced the five-month suspended sentence to two months.
McComb is to serve a five-month custodial sentence altogether.
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