Lisburn: two men charged in connection with robbery of Wineflair off licence

David Anthony Joseph Barry, 31, whose address was given as Maghaberry Prison, and Ryan Joseph Lundy, 31, whose address was given as Graham Gardens in Lisburn, appeared before the city’s magistrates court on Thursday, December 19, following an incident at the Wineflair in Railway Street in Lisburn on December 17.

Barry has been charged with robbery and possession of a Class C drug, namely tramadol.

Lundy has been charged with assisting an offender.

Legal representatives for the two men made an application for bail.

Hearing the facts of the case, the court was told the pair walked from Lundy’s home address at Graham Gardens to the nearby Wineflair off licence in Railway Street.

Barry gained access to the off licence after being buzzed in through the locked door by an 18-year-old shop assistant, who was on his own in the store at the time.

It was stated that Barry told the shop assistant to give him a litre bottle of vodka. It was reported that he told the shop assistant he had a knife in his pocket and he would stab him.

He then ordered the shop assistant to open the till and give him money. The shop assistant complied and handed Barry ten £10 notes,

During the incident it was said that Lundy remained outside the store, looking through the window and knocking on the door.

The pair then left the premises and returned to Lundy’s address in Graham Gardens.

CCTV Citywatch monitored the movements of the two men and armed response officers were tasked to the address in Graham Gardens.

It was reported that on arrival, the police called for the two men to leave the property and there was no response.

The men were then said to have barricaded themselves into the property using chairs and to have armed themselves against the police.

The officers forced entry and used tasers on the two men.

The police seized a coat that Barry was seen wearing on CCTV, as well as a bottle of vodka.

Two capsules suspected to be Class C drugs were also seized.

Four £10 notes suspected to have been stolen from the off licence were found in Barry’s possession with the remaining £60 unaccounted for.

It was stated that during interview Barry admitted he was responsible for the robbery and had possession of the Class C drug, which he said was tramadol, and that he has an addiction to the drug.

Barry also said during interview that Lundy had no involvement in the robbery.

Lundy was charged with assisting an offender as a result of his actions following the robbery.

When objecting to bail, the court was told by an investigating police officer that Barry has 137 previous convictions over the course of 22 years and that the police believe there is a risk of reoffending.

The police also objected to the bail application made on behalf of Lundy, saying he has 50 previous convictions and that there was “an extremely high chance of further offences.”

Deputy District Judge Sean O’Hare denied the bail applications, with the two men to reappear before the court via videolink on January 13.