Man jailed for'˜crime spree'

Daryl Quigley (29), of Laurel Avenue, Coleraine, was sentenced for a string of shoplifting offences when he appeared at the town’s Magistrates Court via video link from prison last Monday.

On December 2 last year he stole a gold necklace with a ruby jewel worth £575 from Buchanan’s Jewellers in Coleraine and £50 worth of household goods from Poundland.

Later in the month he was back in Poundland and stole £40 of household goods and smoking sundries worth £20 from the same shop on another date.

Quigley struck at Heaton’s in Coleraine stealing clothing and a candle set on December 14 whilst in possession of cannabis and also stole two televisions worth £378 each from Asda, Coleraine.

He was back in Asda three days later and attempted to steal a £199 TV and after ripping the security tag off he wrestled with a security guard and ran off.

Also in December he ‘converted’ criminal property, namely electronic goods, by obtaining cash from CeX in Coleraine for the TVs.

Also that month he was picked up at Antrim town’s Holywell Hospital and he after taking several tablets on the way to Coleraine he said he had the money to pay for the £48.50 journey inside a house but then refused to come out.

A defence lawyer said Quigley has a long standing drug problem.

Jailing him, District Judge Liam McNally said this was a string of further offences involving the defendant helping himself to other people’s property.