Larne man who damaged multiple vehicles in the town expresses 'sincere apology' to all victims
A Larne man who caused damage to multiple vehicles in the town wishes to express a "sincere" apology to each victim, a court was told.
James McCambridge (26), with an address listed as Edward Avenue, was, on Tuesday, sentenced on 13 charges of causing criminal damage to vehicles. The incident happened on September 2 last year.
He also stole items including AirPods, a hoodie and a coat from two vehicles and there was a charge of interference with vehicles.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told that in one incident he broke a window in a vehicle at Curran Road and then returned and tried to get through plastic sheeting which had been put on the damaged window.
The defendant was confronted and he ran off. CCTV showed the defendant attempting to get into at least four vehicles on Curran Road.
Fourteen vehicles in total were damaged - windows were broken. The damage was estimated at between £1,400 and £2,800. When arrested the defendant was wearing the stolen coat.
The owner of the AirPods was able to "remotely locate" them and provided police with the location and they were found in the garden of an address where the defendant had been residing.
A defence barrister said the defendant had spent three months in custody on remand. She said the defendant had relapsed into drug abuse at the time of the offending and his behaviour had spiralled.
He now has a "support network" and is getting assistance with mental health issues and has been referred to 'Community Addictions'. There has been no further offending, the court was told.
The lawyer said the defendant wished to pass on his "sincere apologies to each and every individual that has been harmed as a result of his offending within his own home town".
"He wishes to very much put all of these issues behind him," it was added. The barrister said Community Service would mean the defendant could "re-pay his debt to society".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said if the defendant was given a six months jail term it would be "time served" and to "some extent" he had already been punished.
He then ordered the defendant to do 240 hours - the maximum - of Community Service "to make you pay back to society in terms of this escapade of damage".
The judge said the defendant was on benefits and was not in a position to make compensation.