‘His partner will have the pleasant duty of shopping for the couple’
An alleged serial thief accused of 30 separate raids on Tesco stores across Belfast is to be barred from all shopping centres in the city, a High Court judge has ordered.
Jackie Johnson, 43, has been charged with stealing more than £3,000 worth of chocolate, sweets, alcohol, food and other groceries as part of an eight-month spree.
Granting him bail under strict terms, Mr Justice McAlinden stressed that the commercial interests of retailers must be protected.
“He will be banned from entering any supermarket or shopping centre in the greater Belfast area,” the judge directed.
Johnston, of Parkend Street in the city, is charged with 30 counts of theft and a further attempted theft.
The alleged offences were committed on dates between January and September last year.
Prosecutors claimed Tesco’s security staff identified him while examining CCTV footage from various stores.
Johnston was captured repeatedly stealing items from branches at York Street, Antrim Road, Royal Avenue and Ballygomartin Road, according to the charges.
“This resulted in a total loss of £3,464.49 to Tesco,” Crown counsel disclosed.
Opposing bail, she said police believe there is a high risk that Johnston will carry on offending.
Defence barrister Sean Doherty argued his client should be released based on the time he has now spent in custody. He further contended: “£3,464 is not a trifling figure, but nor is it particularly significant to a company with the type of revenue Tesco has in any year.”
Following submissions, Mr Justice McAlinden acknowledged the scale of the alleged offending. He noted: “This man seems to have been engaged in a wholesale campaign to steal from Tesco.”
But he ruled that Johnston can be released on terms which also involve reporting to police three times a week.
The judge added: “His partner will have the pleasant duty of shopping for the couple.”
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