Prison term for throwing a sweet 
at woman’s head

Reuben John Glen (25), Colban Crescent, Lurgan, appeared in court by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

For unlawful assault on a female he was sentenced to three months in prison while a concurrent three month term was imposed for the theft of condoms, valued at £4.49, from Savers Store in Lurgan on April 20 this year.

He was also ordered to pay a £25 offender’s levy.

The court heard that the female victim said she had been going into a shoe shop when she passed a man standing at the top of Castle Lane in Lurgan.

She went into the shop and the man followed her. He threw a ‘stone’ which hit her on the head and this caused a lump on her head.

Glen was located standing in the doorway of an Indian takeaway and items found on him had been stolen from Savers.

A solicitor representing Glen said his client would say it was a prank and that it was a sweet, not a stone, he had thrown.

He added the defendant, who was intoxicated at the time, had a history of alcohol and drug abuse.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said Glen had been in custody for a while for this matter and had said at a previous court he required antibuse treatment.

He added that, recently, Glen’s offending had been prolific and custody was the only option.