A Portadown man who stole a £500 phone from a shopping centre has been sentenced to six months in prison.
Court heard the 48-year-old, who was also caught with Diazepam, struggled with both alcohol and cannabis problems.
Nicholas Owen Mulholland, of Thomas Street, pleaded guilty to theft and possession of class C at Craigavon Magistrates’ on Friday.
The two offences referred to separate incidents which happened over last summer.
The first occurred on May 25, when police were contacted about the theft of a £500 phone from an O2 store in Rushmere Shopping Centre, Craigavon.
After viewing CCTV footage officers identified the culprit as the defendant.
Police attended Mulholland’s home, where during a search of his premises, the phone was recovered.
Court heard that during an interview the defendant made full admissions to the offence.
The second incident happened on August 4 after Mulholland was arrested by police following the execution of a bench warrant.
During a search in custody, officers located Diazepam on the defendant’s person.
Again, it was heard that during an interview the defendant made full admissions to the offence.
Defence barrister Conor Lunny explained Mulholland was currently serving a three-month sentence for theft of a bottle of cider from the Bannville House Hotel, Banbridge.
He told the court the defendant had battled with alcohol and more recently cannabis problems.
District Judge Bernie Kelly commented: “By the looks of it he has been taking more than that”.
Mr Lunny conceded “little can be said” about these offences but negated the aggravating feature of the mobile’s value by reaffirming it had been recovered.
Judge Kelly stated: “You have a record of offences of dishonesty and drugs.
“I am warranting these offences so serious there is only one penalty I can impose.”
Mulholland was sentenced to three months in prison for the possession charge and six months with for the theft of the phone.
These sentences were ordered to run concurrently with each other, and the sentence the defendant was already undertaking.
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