Ballymena man accused of 15 counts of shoplifting from Sainsbury's while on a mobility scooter
A man accused of theft from a supermarket on 15 different days while driving a mobility scooter has had his case adjourned.
David William Coburn (65), of Brooke Park in Ballymena, is accused of shoplifting at Sainsbury's in the town on days during November and December with the amount totalling £727.
An earlier sitting of Ballymena Magistrates' Court was told the defendant was stopped on December 7 attempting to steal four bottles of vodka and was given a Community Resolution Notice for that incident.
CCTV was then reviewed and, it was said, he had stolen items on 15 different days, "mostly alcohol".
The case has been further adjourned to February 5.
Objecting to bail, a police officer told the earlier court the defendant said he was an alcoholic and he had claimed he had no memory of the incidents.
The officer had said there was a risk of further offences "particularly in the run up to Christmas".
The earlier court was told "the same modus operandi was used on each occasion with the defendant arriving to the shop on a mobility scooter, placing bags in a trolley, placing items, mostly alcohol, in one of the bags and then leaving the shop without offering payment".
A defence barrister told the earlier court the defendant has "vulnerabilities".
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the previous sitting they were serious matters involving goods of significant value and "15 times he had got away with it".
He said there is "too much shoplifting" which he said "were not victimless crimes".
At the earlier court the defendant was given £500 bail and was barred from entering Sainsbury's in Ballymena. He was also not to be under the influence of alcohol in public.
Judge Broderick had added: "He shouldn't be on a mobility scooter drunk out shoplifting. He is lucky to get bail in the first place".