A man allegedly stole thousands of pounds worth of toy dolls to fund a £500 a day drug habit, the High Court heard today.
Stephen Casement is also accused of taking a jukebox, football shirts and recliner chairs in a series of raids on Belfast shops.
The 42-year-old, of Malvern Street in the city, is charged with 18 separate thefts between March 2018 and October 2019. He faces further counts of common assault and possession of cannabis.
During today’s bail application prosecutors claimed he stole nearly £2,800 worth of LOL Dolls from Smyths Toys at Forestside, Drumkeen.
CCTV footage captured him repeatedly entering the premises, lifting a number of boxes and leaving without paying, it was alleged. According to the charges Casement also took another £400 worth of the same dolls from another retailer.
Other alleged incidents include the theft of a £290 jukebox from The Range at Connswater in the city, football shirts costing £300 from the Rangers Shop, and recliner chairs from Home Bargains. The total value of the suspected thefts comes to nearly £6,000.
A Crown lawyer said: “He advised police that he has a £500 a day drug habit, which police believe he can only sustain if he steals high-value goods to fund that habit.”
Opposing bail, she added: “Managing him in the community is a very difficult task, one that police feel they cannot meet at this juncture.”
Defence barrister Michael Boyd confirmed Casement is “willing and ready to enter (guilty) pleas to everything”.
Counsel accepted his client had heavily abused cocaine, but disputed the scale portrayed by the prosecution.
“He said that he was on occasion spending as much as £500 a day on drugs,” Mr Boyd told the court.
Casement, a father-of-three, is now “deeply ashamed” of his behaviour during that period, according to his lawyer. “His life was a complete mess... he lost friends, he’s completely isolated and he’s trying to repair relationships.”
The bail application was adjourned, however, for more information to be provided on progressing the criminal proceedings.
For more of today's top stories in Belfast and beyond, click here.
Keep up-to-date with all the very latest news, what's on, sport and everything else in Belfast and beyond with the Belfast Live app.
Only select news that interests you by picking the topics you want to display on the app's homepage. Plus, our enhanced user experience includes live blogs, video, interactive maps and slick picture galleries. Download it now and get involved .
Click here to get it from the App Store or here for Google Play .
