Man weeps as he is sent to prison after his chances run out

Man weeps as he is sent to prison after his chances run out

18 June 2014

A NEWCASTLE man wept silently in court on Thursday when he was jailed for 14 months.

Twenty three year-old Christopher Hallett, of Burren Meadow, was sent to prison for a series of offences including burglary, assault on police, resisting police, criminal damage and fleeing a taxi without paying.

Downpatrick Court heard that Hallett resisted police when they arrived at the scene of a suspected burglary at a caravan park at Castlewellan Road on October 13.

He was one of three men arrested on suspicion of stealing a television from a caravan and breaking into the nearby Newcastle Driving Range and stealing a CCTV camera and damaging property. He later admitted the offences.

Almost three months later, on January 23, he fled from a taxi he had taken from Belfast to Newcastle, failing to return as promised to pay the £40 fare.

The court heard that he had told the taxi driver his real name and also revealed he would be in court in Downpatrick the following morning, meaning he was easily tracked down by police.

A defence solicitor told District Judge Greg McCourt that Hallett was not an evil person.

“There is a lot of stupidity here,” he said. “He stupidly gets into troubles without realising the consequences.”

But Mr. McCourt said he had given Hallett enough chances and pointed out that the offending had happened very soon after Hallett was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence for other crimes.

“There is no way I cannot jail you,” he said.

“If you come before any court again I will send you to the crown court for sentencing.”