A Derry criminal who stole roses from a local shop on St. Valentine's Day and then gave them to his girlfriend, was yesterday remanded in custody until February 28.
Denis O'Neill, (33), from Abercorn Road in Derry, admitted stealing the flowers and a Little Devil teddy bear valued at £29 from the Tesco supermarket at Quayside on the city's Strand Road. O'Neill, who has fifty-three previous criminal convictions
, stole the bunch of roses and the teddy bear while on bail for other offences.
Derry Magistrate's Court was told that the stolen roses were later recovered from O'Neill's house where they had been "displayed in a romantic fashion".
A police officer said that O'Neill was granted bail on January 22 last after he had been charged with "a substantial house burglary" in which a Transit van, a television and a cheque book were stolen.
The witness said after O'Neill breached his bail conditions, he was re-arrested and brought before the court where he was again granted bail.
Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said O'Neill admitted stealing the roses and teddy bar and breaching his bail conditions.
"He found himself in a financially embarrassing situation on St. Valentine's Day after he had been drinking in a bar. He went into the shopping centre and took the roses and teddy bear. When the police called to his house in relation to the stolen items, they found the flowers displayed in a romantic fashion", he said.
The full article contains 249 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
