A 25-year-old “bit of a nuisance” broke into Sinn Fein’s offices in Enniskillen and stole a woman’s purse, Fermanagh Court has heard.

Leeroy McDonagh, of Derrin Road, Enniskillen, later returned the purse, minus the £100 that had been in it, promising to repay the money. He never did.

He admitted entering Sinn Fein’s offices as a trespasser on March 23, 2012, and stealing the purse.

He also admitted that on December 20, 2013, he stole a pair jeans and a hooded top to the value of £59.58 from DV8.

McDonagh further admitted that on October 5, this year, he was disorderly at Forthill Street in Enniskillen.

District Judge Nigel Broderick deferred sentencing him for six months on condition that McDonagh commits no further offences and that at the end of that time there is a positive pre-sentence report.

He warned him: “If you re-offend or the pre-sentence report is not positive you will go to prison for a lengthy time.” Outlining the background to the offences, a prosecutor explained that on March 23, 2012, police received a report of a theft from Sinn Fein’s offices in Enniskillen. A woman had left her brown handbag containing a purse beneath her desk when she went for lunch at 1.30pm. She returned around 2pm and discovered the purse was missing. On March 28, the purse was returned, minus the £100. McDonagh agreed to pay the money back but never did. Police viewed CCTV and were able to identify him as the thief. He was interviewed and made no comment.

The prosecutor said that at 8pm on Friday, December 20, last year, police on patrol in Enniskillen were approached by a member of staff from DV8. The officers were told a man in a purple hooded top had stolen a jumper and pair of jeans from the shop. The police were shown the direction in which the thief had fled. They followed and met another member of the shop’s staff who pointed at McDonagh, saying: “That’s him.” The court heard that the officers recognised McDonagh and called to him by name to stop. He was located and when questioned made no comment. He was shown CCTV of the theft and again made no comment.

The prosecutor went on to describe an incident on October 5, this year, when McDonagh refused to leave the Railway Hotel at Forthill Street in Enniskillen after being verbally abusive towards staff. Police were called and he eventually left, telling the officers: “You can’t f--king stop me going in there.” The prosecutor said McDonagh became verbally abusive towards the police, pointed his finger in an officer’s face and saying: “Don’t point your finger at me you dirty bastard. Get the f--k out of my face.” Defence solicitor Conor Heaney said McDonagh was “no stranger to these courts” in terms of “low-level, nuisance-type offending”. He was well known to the previous District Judge, who on several occasions had described him as a “bit of a nuisance”, which was a fair characterisation of his behaviour.

Mr. Heaney told the court the incident at the Railway Hotel occurred after McDonagh had been drinking for a significant portion of the day. He had little real recollection of what happened.

The solicitor described the shoplifting from DV8 as “opportunistic” and said the offence was again committed when McDonagh was under the influence of alcohol. The jeans he stole were for himself.

Mr. Heaney said McDonagh realises this type of behaviour is insensible and will not be tolerated.

He said the theft from the Sinn Fein offices was also committed when McDonagh had been drinking. He returned some days later with the promise “no matter how remote” that the money would be repaid.

“He did not live up to that promise,” stated Mr. Heaney.

He said McDonagh realises that unless he is able to grapple with the problems he faces he will continue to serve terms of imprisonment. He left school at a young age and led a feckless lifestyle but has started a course at the South West College in Enniskillen, studying English, computer skills and hairdressing.

“He does see this as a real opportunity to eventually make something of his life and pursue a career in hairdressing,” added Mr. Heaney.

He said McDonagh was under no illusion about the precarious situation he was in but asked for him to be given the opportunity to attend the course at the South West College.

The District Judge told McDonagh it was only because of Mr. Heaney’s plea “and the fact that you are in employment and on a course” that he was not sending him to jail.

“Were it not for what I have been told today I would be sending you to prison for a lengthy period,” he stated.

He told Mr. Heaney that if McDonagh brings the £160 in restitution to court in six months time that will stand in his favour in terms of sentencing.