Tea bag thief remanded in custody

Wayne Cameron, of York Road in Belfast, is accused of stealing cash, games systems, tea bags and quantities of tobacco.

The 27-year-old was refused bail at Belfast Magistrates’ Court due to the prosecution saying there was a risk of re-offending.

He appeared in the dock to face nine charges, including three counts of robbery, aggravated burglary and a further burglary.

The alleged offences also involve four counts of possessing an offensive weapon with intent – three of them with a meat cleaver and the other with a pair of scissors.

The alleged offences include the theft of an unknown quantity of cash from a filling station in Newtownabbey.

One of the other counts involved taking £153 in cash, 20 packets of cigarettes and tea bags from a Co-op in Newtownabbey.

Mr Cameron is accused of breaking into an address at Surrey Street and another in Landseer Street, Belfast, and taking Xbox consoles and games from the latter property. He also allegedly robbed a Subway branch in Belfast of £85.

The alleged offences were committed on January 27-28.

Mr Cameron mounted a bid to be released on bail during the hearing.

But denying the application, District Judge Fiona Bagnall remanded him in custody to appear again by video-link later this month.