Man who stole nuts for '˜girlfriend who had a craving' is fined £150

Eamonn Kieron Brady, of Edenmore Park in Limavady, was fined £150 for the theft committed at The Spar shop in Limavady on June 19 this year.

Limavady Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday a member of the public in the shop noted a person acting suspiciously.

Brady was subsequently identified by the manager on CCTV. He was seen placing two packets of nuts into his pocket and leaving the shop without making payment.

The matter was reported, police attended and Brady was subsequently arrested and made no comment.

Defence solicitor Paddy McGurk told the court that Brady’s girlfriend “had a craving for nuts and she prevailed upon him”.

Mr McGurk said “the transaction wasn’t made as normal”, but noted restitution had been made.

District Judge Liam McNally asked what type of nuts they were, to which Mr. McGurk replied: “I think they were Nobby’s Nuts ... a large bag.”

Mr. McGurk said Brady had a “lengthy”, “colourful record”, but this offence was “at the lower end”.

District Judge McNally described Brady as “a man who doesn’t stop at stealing other people’s property”. He said he “wasn’t going to waste the time of Probation services on someone who, on 40 previous occasions, had stolen other people’s property”.

In addition to the fine, Brady was ordered to pay a £15 offender levy.