Cannabis found at home of shoplifters

After identifying two shoplifters on CCTV police went to their home and found two cannabis plants in the house, Craigavon Magistrates Court heard last Wednesday.
Craigavon Courthouse. INPT21-239.Craigavon Courthouse. INPT21-239.
Craigavon Courthouse. INPT21-239.

At a previous court 35-year-old David Reginald Pope, Mahon Court, Portadown, admitted the theft of goods valued at £27 belonging to Boots, Thomas Street, Portadown, on May 20 this year.

He also pleaded guilty to cultivating two cannabis plants at Mahon Court, Portadown.

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The court heard that police received a report of shoplifting at Boots and CCTV showed the defendant and another person placing items in a bag and leaving without paying.

They went to Mahon Court and arrested the defendant and another person.

A search of the house uncovered two cannabis plants in the utility room along with a lamp.

A barrister representing Pope said that the defendant’s wife was the co-accused and she had pleaded guilty at an earlier court. He explained that the defendant had pleaded guilty on the day of a contest.

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The barrister said that Pope had been getting a prescription for her and that she had passed things to him and on CCTV he is seen putting something up his sleeve so it was a joint enterprise.

He added that the co-accused had an extensive record for dishonesty and received a suspended sentence.

The barrister said his client suffered from back pain and was looking to get cannabis oil from the plant for pain medication.

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

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District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said the report indicated he had moved to this area to avoid the ‘triggers’ which led to his offending in other jurisdictions.

She imposed a combination order of 12 months on probation and 80 hours community service with a compensation order of £27 to Boots.

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