A man who drove off from fuel pumps on four occasions in the space of two weeks without paying has been given a suspended sentence.

Lilly’s Centra on the Dublin Road reported to police that the driver of a Vauxhall Insignia had filled the car with diesel on April 24 and 28 and May 1 and 5.

The four amounts were £50.02 x 2, £110.38, and £96.77 and no attempt was made to pay on any occasion.

CCTV footage showed the defendant – Joshua Beatty (27), of Tullyavey Road, Enniskillen – who was arrested.

The court heard Beatty made full admission, confirmed the car was his, and when asked about the incidents, said: “I’m not really sure what happened. I have been off my medication and I am all over the place.”

Beatty’s solicitor, Gary Black, said his client had been in full-time employment up until January of this year, but had stopped working due to health issues.

The court heard Beatty had been involved in a similar incident in 2019 when he had forgotten to pay and was contacted about it.

District Judge Steven Keown said Beatty was using such behaviour as an “I.O.U.”, with Mr. Black saying Beatty thought he was buying himself time by not paying.

Mr. Black said Beatty was the author of his own misfortune, and this incident was preventing him from taking up certain types of employment.

Judge Keown gave Beatty credit for his guilty plea and no previous convictions, but removed himself from the possibility of community disposal by his attitude towards community service and probation, as outlined in the pre-sentence report.

For the four charges of theft, Beatty was given a two-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £307.19 in restitution.