A Polish national who stole perfume to the value of £304 after agency work dried up has been ordered to pay a fine of £200.
The 44-year-old’s solicitor told court: “At this time he had been struggling for money. This was a very unsophisticated theft.”
Norbert Michjal Wozniak, of Oaktree Drive in Antrim, pleaded guilty to theft at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Prosecution outlined that on October 11, at 12pm, police were called to a report of a theft from Debenhams at Rushmere Shopping Centre, Craigavon.
Officers arrived to find that security staff at the store had detained the defendant.
They told police Wozniak had been observed acting suspiciously on CCTV. He had been seen placing three bottle of perfume into his coat before leaving without paying.
The defendant was apprehended in the foyer of the centre with the perfume, valued at £304, being seized and deemed fit for resale.
During interview, Wozniak made full admissions to the offence.
Defence solicitor Harry McCourt stated: “This was an early plea and all goods were fit for resale. He does engage in agency work which means some weeks he works more than others.
“At this time he had been struggling for money. This was a very unsophisticated theft.”
He added: “He has a wife and three children back in Poland, who he hopes to bring over in the coming year”.
Wozniak was ordered to pay a fine of £200, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 16 weeks.
