Ballymena man who lost a leg through heroin addiction 'hasn't stopped offending' despite being in a wheelchair, judge said
A judge has remarked that being in a wheelchair hasn't stopped a Ballymena man with “a terrible record” from offending.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was speaking at Balymena Magistrates' Court regarding a man from the town who lost a leg due to a heroin addiction.
Wilfred LeBlanc was in court the day before his 55th birthday.
The defendant, with an address listed as Queen Street but now said to be living in Drumtara, assaulted a police officer and damaged a PSNI cell van on December 1 last year.
On November 29, 2023, he stole goods worth £45 from The Phoenix shop in the town.
A prosecutor said police were taking the defendant to Antrim Area Hospital and he "became irate" in a cell van. He shouted at police to let him out and punched a door.
"He then stated to the officer that he was going to attempt to break his own leg on the police van if he wasn't allowed. His behaviour was very volatile and he was making threats of violence towards the police.
"He then began hitting his leg off the cell van seat and it was injured and bleeding. There was blood all over the van".
Inside the hospital he was swearing in the busy waiting room and when a police officer pushed him out in his wheelchair the defendant scraped the officer's hand.
A defence barrister said the defendant had been using drugs for "27 years" and "lost his leg in relation to that substance misuse".
He said the defendant was "remorseful".
LeBlanc told the judge he began using the wheelchair four years ago.
Judge Broderick said: "So being in a wheelchair hasn't stopped him offending".
The judge said LeBlanc had a "terrible record" and gave him a five months prison sentence, suspended for two years.