Judge is '˜reminded of a seven-year-old'

Callum Evans, whose address was given as Park Road, Portadown, admitted two charges when he appeared at a previous sitting of the court.

They were criminal damage to an Audi A1 on March 3 this year and criminal damage to a Ford Fiesta on the same date.

The court heard the cost of the damage to the Fiesta was £2,666 and the cost to the Audi was £972.

The case had been adjourned until last Wednesday to obtain a pre-sentence report.

At the previous court sitting District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said that would give Evans some time to gather up the money.

“I want every penny of that money on that date or else you are going to prison,” the judge told the defendant. “You have absolutely no respect for other people’s property.”

No summary of the facts were outlined in court.

At last week’s court a barrister representing the defendant said that his client did not have the money with him.

He added that Evans acknowledged there was an inevitability about sentencing and asked the judge to be lenient.

Judge Kelly said it was a relatively straightforward matter and that he could not damage other people’s property.

She said that reading the pre-sentence report reminded her of her seven-year-old grandson - why did you do that? you were laughing at me.

“These people now have to pay out of their own pocket just because of one drunken night out,” she added