Judge says it was a ‘nasty thing’ to steal bicycle which passenger had left at train station
A man who stole a bicycle which had been left at a train station by a passenger has been fined £100.
Colin Edward Nesbitt (40), of Oriel Park in Antrim town, committed theft on August 31 last year.
Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard the bike was found in a rear garden and returned to its owner. The court heard the victim had initially left the bike at a train station.
A defence lawyer said the defendant had "very limited recollection" of taking the bike. He said his client's instructions were that he had planned to leave it back.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said it was a "nasty thing" to take somebody else's bike as they expected it to be there when they returned by train but thankfully it was recovered.
He said the defendant was correct to plead guilty to theft as he had the bike for a number of days and there was clearly an intention to keep it as if had he only used it to cycle home he could have returned it more quickly.
The defendant had a relevant record.