Sex offender who failed to notify police of change of address is jailed by judge at Ballymena court
A sex offender who failed to notify police of a change of address has been jailed.
The 39-year-old appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday (October 22) via video link from prison. The notification offence relates to March 16 this year.
Also that day, Mark Kennedy, with an address listed as no fixed abode in Belfast, assaulted a female and behaved in a 'threatening and abusive manner' when he "called her names".
When arrested he said that he had consumed drugs and was taken to Antrim Area Hospital where he began to shout and swear.
On July 18 this year he admitted behaving in an abusive manner. He sent "abusive and vulgar" voicemails to a woman on Facebook Messenger.
On August 29 this year he caused criminal damage to an ATM at the petrol station at Sainsbury's in Ballymena. At 10.45pm he pulled a plastic part from the ATM.
A prosecutor said that it appeared the defendant had been frustrated at not being able to obtain money. On September 2 this year Kennedy was caught with 13 pregabalin tablets.
A defence barrister said that the defendant grew up in the Larne area and he had alcohol and drug issues. He had 88 previous convictions.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said that the "unfortunate cycle" of offending was no doubt fuelled by the defendant's "chronic addiction". He said that Kennedy had a "chaotic lifestyle".
The defendant has been jailed for eight months and a two year Restraining Order was put in place.