A Portadown man who stole over £800 worth of perfume from a local store will be able to spend Christmas with his family after receiving a five month sentence.
The 42-year-old’s barrister claimed that the defendant, who had turned his life around, had returned to heroin addiction and theft after losing his employment after an injury at work.
Emanuel Oliveria, of Carleton Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and burglary at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
These offences related to two separate incidents, both of which occurred earlier this year.
The defendant had previously pleaded guilty to theft to the value of £49.99 from The Range in Portadown on May 13.
Defence barrister Aaron Thompson stated that he had been given instructions by Oliveria to plead guilty to the remaining charges.
Prosecution outlined that on September 25, police received a report of a theft from Boots on Thomas Street by an unknown male on September 14.
This man had entered the store at 12.30pm on the day in question and lifted a box of perfumes to the value of £824 before leaving.
Police were able to identify the culprit as Oliveria from CCTV footage recovered from the store.
Then on September 30, police received a second report from B&M in Portadown of a theft by a male known to them as the defendant, as he had been banned from entering the store.
Oliveria had entered the store at 11.40am and he was observed to have lifted four sets of headphones valued at £80 from a shelf.
Staff followed the defendant as he tried to leave the store, they stopped him and the goods were recovered.
When interviewed, Oliveria made full admissions to the theft from Boots but claimed he could not remember the incident in B&M.
Mr Thompson stated: “If you look at this man’s record he has been prolific in the past but there has been a break in his offending.
“He first came to my instructing solicitor some 10 years ago and he is a man who has suffered with heroin addiction.”
He continued: “His record tapered off in 2012 to 2013 as he was on a opiate substitute programme. He had began working full time and had even bought a house – it was a real success story.
“There is a letter from his wife which explains how devastating it is for him to be away from his family at this time of year. If your worship was to impose a five month sentence he would be out in the next week or so, in time for Christmas.”
Mr Thompson added: “He has registered again with the Brownlow addiction clinic. He got an injury at work which led to losing his employment which in turn led to a relapse and to the thefts.
“The theft of over £800 worth of perfume is brazen and there was no doubt that he was going to be caught.”
Oliveria was sentenced to five months in prison and was also ordered to pay compensation in the form of £826 and £49.99 to the two stores with 26 weeks.
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