Co Armagh man 'took to drink' and stole a pair of Nike trainers before going to hospital for his baby's birth, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh man who ‘took to drink’ and stole a pair of Nike trainers before heading to hospital where his partner was in labour, was struggling to cope with the baby’s arrival, a court has heard.
Glenn Ethan Eamonn Flynn, aged 31, of No Fixed Abode, appeared via video link from Maghaberry Prison before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with burglary and theft.
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The court heard that at around 7am on November 25 last year, police received a report of the theft of £100 worth of shoes from a house in Ballyoran Park, Portadown on November 25 last year.
The defendant was captured on CCTV footage. He initially left the trainers behind a wall and then left the area with them. At 9.30am the defendant was arrested at Craigavon Area Hospital. “He was wearing the trainers that were stolen,” a prosecutor said.
The court heard also that on Monday, January 15 this year, police received a report of a theft which happened at Tesco in Craigavon.
Two men and two women stole a trolley full of goods valued of £200.25, leaving in a car towards Lurgan.
Mr David McKeown said his client has “an unenviable record”.
“He had a very sobering experience yesterday when he received a lengthy custodial sentence,” he said. Flynn had been convicted at Newry Crown Court last week of burglary on September 7, 2023.
Mr McKeown, in explaining Flynn’s theft said: "His partner was in labour. He was struggling to cope with the arrival that was coming imminently. He took to drink to try and cope with it and he was not thinking straight.
"That was probably the most opportunistic of crimes. He had gone seeking help. There was a nice pair of Nikes in the doorway. When the Good Samaritan walked away he grabbed them and hid them,” said the barrister.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan pointed out that Flynn now has 190 convictions.
“Custody has been a significant feature of your life,” he said sentencing him to nine months for the burglary at the house and for the Tesco theft he was given a three-month jail term all to run concurrently with his present sentence.