Stewartstown heroin addict '˜stole perfume to feed his addiction'

Arnas Jokuzys, 31, from The Square, admitted stealing £150 worth of perfume from two shops in order to sell them “to feed his addiction”.

East Tyrone Magistrates Court was told that on June 24 that the defendant was captured on CCTV stealing two bottles of perfume in Cookstown and then again on October 3 in Dungannon.

“He faces a number of similar charges in a number of jurisdictions,” his solicitor told the court.

“He is a heroin addict who has relapsed after a number of years clean.

“These were very unsophisticated crimes with the aim of selling on the items at £10 a time for food and heroin.

“He has been in custody sine May 5... with an earliest possible release date in August.

“The report confirms that he had a traumatic upbringing; his mother was murdered in Lithuania during a robbery when he was fourteen.

“He came here and took a labouring job before working in Moy Park from 2012 to 2015.

“He abstained from heroin during that period but when he lost his job in January 2015, he went back on it and spiralled into a cycle of offending.

“At this time he could not apply for benefits and the crimes were committed in order to feed his addiction and to give him something to live on.

“His one remaining charge against him is over his alleged illegal entry into the UK.”

Handing down a two month prison sentence in each of the two cases, District Judge John Meehan said: “Shoplifting costs UK businesses some £6 billion a year... a cost which is handed down to customers.

“He continues to present as a high risk of reverting to prolific offending.”

Judge Meehan ordered that the sentences run consecutively to each other and also to Mr Jokuzys’ current sentences. £25 offender’s levies were also imposed.