Ballymena: Jail for drug addict who stole medication in early morning break-in at health centre Boots pharmacy
A man who stole medication during an early morning break-in at a pharmacy at Ballymena Health Centre has been jailed for a year.
Gary Owen Donegan (41), formerly with an address a Holland Park in the town but now listed as in Belfast, appeared via video link from prison at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday in connection with a number of thefts.
A prosecutor said at 1.20am on July 30 last year police received a report of the alarm sounding at the Boots chemist at the health centre.
A glass door had been smashed with a hammer and CCTV showed two males entering before a "number of medications" were taken.
Donegan's DNA matched blood found at the scene. A hammer was seized at a property.
The court heard the stolen medication was worth £353 and it was not recovered.
His crimewave also included the following incidents:
- On April 7 last year he stole four designer t-shits worth £120 from TK Maxx.
- On May 16 last year he took t-shirts worth £100 from TK Maxx.
- On June 9 last year he took t-shirts worth £360 from TK Maxx.
- On June 14 last year he took a pair of 'sliders' worth £5 from Primark.
- On August 6 last year he took bedding worth £170 from TK Maxx.
- On August 12 last year he took a doorstop worth £129 from Camerons in Ballymena.
- On September 21 last year he took clothing worth £95 from the DV8 shop in the Tower Centre in Ballymena.
- On August 14 this year he took four t-shirts worth £142 from TK Maxx.
- On September 11 this year he took a jacket worth £140 from TK Maxx.
- On October 10 this year he had taken £124 worth of meat from Marks & Spencer and was also in possession of a bag for use in theft.
- On October 17 this year he was disorderly in the Richmond Park in Ballymena when other people were being arrested.
- He was in possession of methadone belonging to somebody else on October 17.
- On October 24 this year he took a fleece worth £40 from Cameron's in Ballymena and the next day he stole a rug worth £100 from Camerons.
A defence barrister said the defendant had pleaded guilty to all the offences.
The lawyer said there had been a break in offending but Donegan re-lapsed and began using "crack cocaine”.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had 85 previous convictions - 29 for theft. He said the defendant was in breach of a suspended sentence and had offended during a deferral period.
The judge said it was clear the offending was being driven by a "long-standing chronic addiction to drugs".
Jailing the defendant for a year, he told Donegan the courts had in the past tried to give him an opportunity to address his drugs problem but "unfortunately you have re-lapsed".