A Derry man who rang the police demanding £200,000 after pretending he had been kidnapped has been fined £250.
Conan Harkin, 24, currently imprisoned at Maghaberry prison, was charged with improper use of communication to cause anxiety for an incident that took place on April 6, 2015.
Derry Magistrates Court heard the case was in for disposal as the defendant had pleaded guilty and waived his right to a pre-sentence report.
A representative from the Public Prosecution Service told the court said a man rang the police to say he had been kidnapped.
The man said that his kidnappers wanted £200,000 or ‘he was a dead man’.
The man then thought he had hung up the phone but he had not and police were able to hear a subsequent conversation during which the man said he was going to ring his da to ‘let on’ he was tied up.
When interviewed by police, Harkin was said to have made ‘full admissions’.
Defence counsel for the defendant, Nicola Coulter, said it was a ridiculous response from the defendant to missing his curfew but fortunately the police were able to make out from the background that it was a hoax.
Harkin was said to be heavily embarrassed by the incident and couldn’t bring himself to listen to the tape when it was played back during interview.
Ms Coulter said the defendant had consistent problems with meeting his curfew but in ‘all other respects he was doing very well’.
She told the court ‘he is a very intelligent young man’ who has completed educational course whilst imprisoned and has been working as a classroom assistant there.
Harkin was said to have applied for an access course in science at North West Regional College and was attending this until his license was revoked.
The defendant went as far as having tattoos removed to improve his appearance for job interviews.
Ms Coulter concluded by saying that Harkin does not want to ‘waste any more of his life…he has a stable family and regrets letting them down’.
On those grounds, the defence barrister asked for maximum credit to be given.
District Judge Barney McElholm gave the defendant a fine of £250 with an offender levy of £15.
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