A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a 33-year-old convicted shoplifter.

Kevin Barry Cassidy, of Oakfield Court, Enniskillen, denied stealing two bottles of alcopops and a Playstation 3 game from Tesco in Enniskillen on February 3, last year.

He also denied assaulting a member of the store’s security staff, having a knife in connection with the theft and damaging a security case on a Playstation 3 game.

However, Cassidy failed to turn up for his trial at Fermanagh Court on Monday.

After viewing CCTV of the incident and reading evidence from a Tesco security man and a police officer, District Judge Nigel Broderick convicted Cassidy on all four charges.

Defence barrister Steffan Rafferty said that “contrary to advice from his legal representatives” Cassidy’s instructions had been to contest the charges.

Mr. Rafferty submitted that there was no evidence the security guard was assaulted and no evidence the butter knife was used for anything.

The District Judge said there was a clear prima facie case in relation to the assault on the security guard and of the knife at least being produced and used in some sort of fashion.

He said he was entitled to draw an adverse inference from the fact that Cassidy was not in court and was drawing that adverse inference.

Cassidy is due to appear at the same court at a later date charged with a series of other offences. It is alleged that on January 28, he stole household goods to the value of £59.55 from Asda in Enniskillen, was disorderly in the supermarket, assaulted one police officer and resisted a second.