'Career' thief Gary Cooper with 164 previous convictions gets four months in jail for stealing spree - including taking £600-worth of Yankee candles
A 'career' criminal who has stolen thousands of pounds of goods from shops across Northern Ireland in recent years 'to feed a drug addiction', has now received a four months jail term for stealing items in Antrim including £600 worth of Yankee Candles.
Gary Cooper (59), of Glenmore Street in Belfast, had gone to Menarys at The Junction shopping centre in Antrim on October 24 last year.
Staff noticed Yankee Candles missing. CCTV showed him entering four times taking eight candles each time without paying.
He also took £363 worth of cosmetics from Gordons Chemist in Antrim on April 16 last year. CCTV showed him entering twice and placing items in "coat pockets" and leaving without paying.
The goods stolen from both shops were not recovered.
The defendant appeared at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday, March 5 via video link from prison.
The court was told that recently at Antrim Crown Court the defendant was given a sentence of 14 months including seven months in custody. He had stolen men's clothing worth £8,000 from The White House shop in Portrush and Moore's in Coleraine.
He had also received sentences at courts in Lisburn, Newtownards and Newry.
At Ards Court recently the defendant had been described as a "career criminal" who used a jacket with "adapted internal pockets" to shoplift.
He took £670 worth of make-up and perfume from a Boots store; and 11 'Victoria's Secret' pyjama sets worth £537 from a Next shop at Bloomfield Shopping Centre in Bangor on December 3, 2024.
On June 16 in 2024 he stole products worth £640 including electric razors from Boots at Ards Shopping Centre.
He stole Lego worth £123 from B&M in Newtownards and he took food worth £23 from a bakery in Newtownards on August 26 last year.
On September 5 last year he had a bag for use in theft and attempted to steal Yankee Candles worth £52 from Menarys where he assaulted a member of staff who was not working but was shopping.
She recognised the defendant and watched him attempt to conceal Yankee Candles. She took a photo of him on a mobile phone. The defendant spotted her and hit her on the face whilst saying: "I will punch your f*cking face in".
On November 14 last year he stole goods worth £258 from Gordons Chemist in Bangor.
At Ballymena Court on Thursday a defence barrister said the defendant has a number of health problems.
He said: "He suffers from diabetes. I understand he has lost sight in one eye and he is due to have a big toe removed".
He said the thefts related to "addiction to cocaine and drug abuse" and "funding his addiction".
The court was told the defendant had 164 previous convictions including 65 thefts and had committed the Antrim thefts whilst on bail.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the record was "atrocious".
He handed down a four months sentence for the Antrim thefts before him which he said was to be served consecutive to the end of the defendant's current sentence.
The defendant had £500 bail fixed to appeal Thursday's sentence being made consecutive but he remains behind bars as his current sentence runs until later this year.