A Derry man has been jailed for nine months after admitting he damaged five TVs in a local bookmakers when his bet was refused.
James Kelly, 27, of Sackville Street on Little James’ Street, admitted causing criminal damage to five TVs at a city centre bookmakers on December 16, 2016.
The court heard the defendant committed the offence two months after a suspended sentence was imposed ‘for a similar offence’.
Police attended on that date around 6pm and spoke to the manager who said that a ‘regular customer’ called Jim had been placing bets. He told the officers that a bet had been refused for a specific race and Kelly became ‘aggressive’.
The court was told that the defendant threatened to throw a chair, then lifted it and ‘struck two TVs causing damage’.
He struck a further three television monitors showing live sports and then kicked over various items including charity boxes, gambling leaflets and punched a fruit machine on his way out, a Public Prosecutor explained. The total cost of the damage was said to be £1,150.
During police interview the defendant admitted he lost his temper because the bookies would not validate his bet as the time was missing from the slip.
The 27-year-old told officers that he regretted his actions.
Defence barrister Jonathan Longman asked for credit to be given to his client who had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He said Kelly accepts he was wrong and that his actions were ‘entirely inappropriate’.
However, he said that throughout their consultations the 27-year-old ‘has been adamant’ that his bet was taken and when it was successful the bookmakers ‘refused to pay out’. The court heard that alcohol was a ‘significant factor’ and the defendant has problems with both alcohol and drugs.
He said Kelly’s actions came as a result of ‘confusion and misrepresentation’ as opposed to going in the premises to cause trouble. Mr Longman conceded that his client has a lengthy record but has not committed any offences since the one on December 16, but there were other matters pending before the court.
Defence Counsel requested that any custodial sentence that District Judge Barney McElholm might impose be kept to a minimum, and suggested that a period of deferral would give Kelly time to gather funds to repay the bookies for the TVs.
The District Judge said the 27-year-old has had eleven months to gather compensation and explained that it has been made clear for years the importance he places on restitution. The four months suspended sentence was imposed from October 2016, and five months was added for the offence last December to run consecutively.
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