TWO men who made off from an Irvinestown service station this summer without paying for alcohol and fuel have each received a suspended jail sentence.

Patrick James John McDonagh (31), of Sally’s Wood, Irvinestown, was charged with stealing a bottle of Copeland Gin to the value of £29.99 from McAleer’s Spar, Dromore Road, Irvinestown, on July 13, 2017.

His co-accused, Michael James Maughan (26), of Brownhill Meadows, Irvinestown, was charged with using a motor vehicle without insurance, being an unaccompanied ‘L’ driver and making off from McAleer’s Service Station without paying for £5 of fuel.

Appearing before Fermanagh Magistrates Court on Wednesday, both defendants entered guilty pleas to the charges.

Meanwhile, in connection with a separate incident, McDonagh also pleaded guilty to further charges of stealing groceries to the value of £9.90 from McBride’s Spar in Enniskillen and assaulting a police officer on August 3, 2017.

The court heard that, on July 13 this year, police were tasked to McAleer’s Service Station in Irvinestown after receiving a report that two males had stolen items from the premises.

Staff identified McDonagh as he had previously been barred from the shop.

Officers were informed that McDonagh had stolen a bottle of gin, which he had concealed in his t-shirt.

While the gin was being stolen, Maughan had put £5 of fuel into his car in the garage forecourt.

When McDonagh returned to the vehicle, they made off from the filling station without paying for the items.

During interview, McDonagh denied the offences.

It subsequently emerged that Maughan only held a provisional licence and had not been accompanied by a qualified driver.

This meant he was not covered by insurance at the time of the incident, the court heard.

Defending solicitor, Tommy Owens, who was representing Maughan, told the court that his client had initially thought his co-accused was going to pay for the fuel.

However, Mr. Owens claimed that McDonagh had then made Maughan aware that he hadn’t paid.

Upon hearing this, district judge, Des Perry, observed: “The bottle of gin was some consolation.”

In connection with the incident in August, the court heard that, at 11pm, police were made aware that a male wearing a red hoodie had jumped in front of a car in the Enniskillen area and attempted to get in.

McDonagh was subsequently apprehended wearing a red hoodie tied around his waist.

He was concealing a number of items inside his shirt, including cheese slices, potato farls, bacon and sausages.

He initially claimed that he had purchased the items from a local shop, but his story then changed and he admitted the theft.

After he was conveyed to the custody suite, he became aggressive and threatened to headbutt an officer in the face.

Defending counsel, Ciaran Roddy, acting on behalf of McDonagh, told the court that his client had an “extensive and relevant” criminal record.

The barrister said that, prior to a recent “flurry” of offending, the defendant had stayed out of trouble for two years.

Mr. Roddy added that McDonagh had “addiction issues”.

District judge, Mr. Perry, imposed a total jail term of five months on McDonagh in respect of all charges, which he then suspended for 18 months.

The judge added: “It’s up to you to stay out of trouble to avoid serving that sentence.”

Maughan received a one-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, fines of £200, a £15 offender levy and a one-month driving disqualification.

He was also ordered to pay £5 restitution.