Newtownabbey man with over 100 previous convictions receives suspended jail term for theft of £260 worth of meat from shop
A man with over 100 previous convictions has been given a suspended jail term for his role in the theft of £260 worth of meat from a shop in Crumlin.
Ryan McMahon - Ballymena Magistrates Court was told he is also known as Ryan Devlin - was one of two people involved in the shoplifting incident which happened on February 27 last year.
The court was told the other accused stood at a till and distracted staff whilst the defendant walked out with the meat.
A defence barrister said the defendant - aged 29 and with an address listed as Whitewell Grove in Newtownabbey - had suffered trauma as a child, having witnessed his father being killed. That was a reference to Gerard Devlin being stabbed to death in west Belfast in 2006.
The barrister said that led to the defendant having mental health and addiction issues which led to a criminal record of over 100 entries.
He said there was another tragedy when the defendant lost his 22-year-old brother "to an overdose". The court was told the defendant is on a drugs substitute programme.
For the theft the defendant was given a six months prison term, suspended for two years.