Off-duty police officer spotted man with 97 previous convictions stealing razor blades and cosmetics worth almost £200
A man with almost 100 previous convictions who shoplifted razor blades and cosmetics goods worth £196 was spotted by an off-duty police officer
Alan Thompson (56), of Breda Park in Belfast, took items from a Boots store in Antrim town on June 25 this year. He had 97 previous convictions.
The off-duty police officer saw him put items in a bag and leave without offering payment.
The defendant was located at a bus station and the items were recovered and fit for re-sale.
A defence barrister said the defendant had a "poor pattern of offending over the last five years" which was linked to "gambling debts".
At Ballymena Magistrates Court Deputy District Judge Alan White said the defendant deserved to go to prison.
However, he said the defendant had not been on Probation for around 25 years and put him on Probation for 18 months.