A 19-year-old Enniskillen man who carried out a spree of thefts between January and April 2019 has avoided prison.

Owen Maughan, with addresses at Coolcullen Meadow and Beech Hill, Enniskillen was convicted of 10 counts of theft alongside two criminal damage charges as well as using a motor vehicle without insurance, being an unaccompanied L driver and having no L plates displayed.

The thefts range from a can of coke valued at £1 to console accessories valued at £652.55.

On January 15, 2019 Maughan stole Red Bull cans valued at £4 from the Maxol Service Station on the Sligo Road, Enniskillen.

On February 10, 2019 he stole more Red Bull can from McBrides Spar on the Sligo Road.

Interviewed

On February 21, Maughan also caused criminal damage to clothing belonging to Next.

Over four days in March, the defendant stole a range of items including a TV valued at £399 from ASDA, Enniskillen on March 16. When interviewed about the TV, Maughan said he had sold it on to a man from Cavan who had given him a lift.

Groceries valued at £28.57 were stolen from Lakeside Service Station in Enniskillen on March 23. On March 25 the console accessories valued at £652.55 were stolen from Tesco Enniskillen.

The court heard Maughan and another male entered the store and attempted to remove the security tags from the console. They left and returned before putting the items in a shopping bag and leaving the store without attempting to pay.

On March 28 the 19 year old stole bags valued at £30 from River Island, Radkin clothing valued at £166 from Lifestyle Sports and a North Face and Lacoste clothing from JD Sports valued at £790. Maughan also damaged a North Face tracksuit belonging to JD Sports.

Food items

On April 7 and 8, Maughan stole a bottle of coke valued at £1 and soft drinks and food items valued at £25.40 from the Lakeside Service Station in Enniskillen.

And on October 6, 2020 the defendant was observed by police driving a Ford Focus on the Sligo Road in the town without insurance, an accompanying driver or having L plates displayed.

Defence Barrister, Ciaran Roddy, described Maughan’s actions as a “brazen spree of dishonesty” and that there was some degree of planning he had no intention of putting his hand in his pocket to pay for the items stolen.

Mr. Roddy said the crimes lacked sophistication and that manifested itself in that Maughan had been caught and his offending was not subtle but brazen.

He continued that the items differed in value and that it was the major supermarkets and clothing brands who suffered the greatest loss and it was some consolation that the smaller businesses were less affected.

Mr. Roddy said Maughan took full responsibility telling the court that his client had been hanging around a negative peer group at the time but had distanced himself from them and was confident he would not be before the court again. Maughan also advised Mr. Roddy that he was willing to enter into some sort of repayment plan.

He asked the court to give Maughan credit for his early pleas and said that community service of probation may help stop Maughan going down the same road in the future.

Early pleas

District Judge Steven Keown told Maughan that the only reason he was not going to prison was due to his clear criminal record, his early pleas and that he wanted his to pay restitution for the items he stole.

Ordering Maughan to complete two years probation and 100 hours community service he warned him that id he did not comply with probation or was caught stealing again he would go to jail.

Maughan was also ordered to pay restitution to all the businesses he had stolen from or caused criminal damage to stock.

For the driving offences he was given six penalty points and fined £150.