Back in court after 67 convictions

Back in court after 67 convictions

19 February 2014

A DOWNPATRICK man with 67 previous convictions has escaped prison after appearing in court on another series of offences.

Paul Robert Smart (33) appeared at Downpatrick Court on Thursday charged with possession of cannabis, receiving stolen goods and theft. He received a four-month suspended prison sentence.

The court heard police found cannabis when they raided a garage owned by Smart on February 12 last year. They also found a mountain bike which had been stolen the previous month.

He was also charged with stealing a mobile phone between January 31 and February 16 last year and with being in possession of cannabis when police searched his home on September 1.

A solicitor claimed Smart had met two men at a bus stop who visited his home and left the bike in his garage. He said Smart claimed to have found the mobile phone on the ground.

Smart, of Church View, was ordered to pay £250 compensation to the owner of the phone.