A 47-year-old police sergeant allegedly caught shoplifting twice in five days last Christmas has appeared before a Preliminary Enquiry at Fermanagh Court.

Linda Totten is charged with stealing goods to an unknown value from Asda in Enniskillen on December 20, 2013.

She is also accused of stealing goods to the value of £149.81 from the same supermarket on December 24, 2013.

A prosecutor submitted that on the documents before the court there was a case to answer.

Defence solicitor Donal Fee said that was not formally accepted but added that he would not be making any contrary submission.

District Judge Nigel Broderick told the court he was satisfied there was a prima facie case against Totten.

The clerk of the court then asked Totten if she wanted to say anything in answer to the charges.

Totten replied: “I do.” Mr. Fee asked for the case to be passed while he consulted with Totten.

A short time later he returned with Totten and this time when asked if she wanted to say anything in answer to the charges she replied: “Not at this time Your Worship.” Asked if she wished to give evidence or call witnesses, Totten again replied: “Not at this time Your Worship.” She was returned for trial at Dungannon Crown Court on January 13, 2015.

Mr. Fee applied to have Totten’s address changed for security reasons, from her home address in Enniskillen to her employer’s address at Enniskillen Police Station.

The application was granted.