Co Antrim: Man pleads guilty to handling stolen 'medieval knight armour' found in a holdall in Glenarm
A man has pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods - a medieval suit of knight armour.
He also handled two stolen airguns. The armour was said to be worth £500 and it was taken in a burglary in Larne in February this year.
The defendant, Ryan McGowan (39), originally from Donegal and formerly of Larne has an address listed as Ivy Hill in Lisburn, has also admitted possession of drugs - MMC and diazepam.
A charge of burglary, when the medieval armour was stolen, was withdrawn by prosecutors.
A number of other people are charged in connection with the case but McGowan's case alone was dealt with at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday where he appeared via video link from prison where he had been on remand.
A police officer told an earlier court that "collectible knight-style armour" was found in a holdall at an address in Glenarm.
At Thursday's court, a prosecutor said there had been a burglary when a suit of armour and airguns were stolen.
Later, police were in Glenarm and saw the defendant and two others carrying a "large bag" and when inspected it contained the suit of armour and airguns. He was caught with drugs.
The defendant had 30 previous convictions. A defence barrister said the defendant had spent several months on remand in custody.
The defendant had "serious substance misuse problems" and had found himself, in the "throes of addiction," with "the wrong crowd".
District Judge Nigel Broderick handed down a six months prison term and said the defendant was "probably time-served".