A 24-year old man who robbed a newsagents and attempted to rob a bookmakers in west Belfast whilst brandishing an item which appeared to be a weapon was handed a five-year sentence today.
Christopher Riley has very little recollection of the two incidents last November due to his level intoxication following a two-day drink and drugs binge.
Belfast Crown Court heard after he was arrested around tea-time on November 16, Riley was so intoxicated that he was deemed unfit for interview until 7pm the following evening.
Sentencing Riley, Judge Patricia Smyth said that whilst she accepted the robbery and attempted robbery were unplanned and unsophisticated, there was a need to protect both small commercial businesses and their staff.
She also informed Riley that he will spend half of the sentence in prison, with the remaining two and a half years on supervised licence when he is released from jail.
Riley, who at the time of his arrest was living at hostel on the Falls Road, committed the offences with a co-accused who was not before the court.
Events unfolded at around 6.15pm, when Riley and another man walked into a newsagents on the Glen Road. The pair walked around the shop and spoke to the shop assistant before leaving.
The owner of the newsagents became suspicious of the pair, so he got into his car and followed them. He temporarily lost sight of the duo before spotting them at a bookmakers on the Falls Road, where he saw Riley enter the premises and his friend standing outside.
The pair then fled the bookmakers and made their way along Glen Parade and back to the newsagents.
Crown prosecutor Kate McKay said that Riley entered the bookmakers carrying an item wrapped in a black plastic bag. Unmasked and with no effort made to conceal his identify, Riley walked up to the counter and demanded money from an employee.
She refused this request and hit the panic button, prompting Riley to immediately leave.
The pair then returned to the newsagents, and once again brandishing what appeared to be an item in a black plastic bag, the co-accused stood outside whilst Riley entered the shop and demanded money. Believing the intruder to be armed, the shop assistant handed over around £130 in cash.
The owner of the newsagents - who arrived back at his shop only to see the pair flee after the robbery - later told police he thought that the black bag contained a shotgun. After Riley and the second man fled in separate directions, the owner lost sight of the pair.
The court heard that despite subsequent searches, no weapon was either located or recovered.
Mrs McKay said that following police enquiries, Riley was arrested and during interview, he admitted being in his co-accused's company - but refused to answer any other questions. However, he later admitted robbing the newsagents and attempting to rob the bookies.
The prosecutor said that whilst Riley admitted the offences, he has no recollection of either possessing an item or threatening violence, but he "does not dispute the witness statements." He also said he "doesn't believe he wanted to hurt anyone."
Defence barrister Richard McConkey said that Riley targeted the two premises when he was "completely and utterly intoxicated" following a two-day drink and drugs binge, and that he "went along for the ride."
Revealing the offences occurred shortly after Riley had returned from Scotland and was living in a hostel, Mr McConkey said his client was "associating with negative peer groups".
The barrister branded the robbery and attempted robbery as "anything but sophisticated", and said Riley "stumbled into this venture" whilst "deranged on drugs."
Mr McConkey also told the court there was "no evidence of a weapon", and said that whilst there was a threat issued, no violence was carried out and no-one was injured.
Riley's barrister added his client had a very unsettled upbringing and started abusing drugs in his youth - but has been seeking treatment for his addiction whilst on remand, and has also expressed disgust for his actions last November.
Passing sentence, Judge Smyth accepted that Riley carried out the offences in a bid to obtain cash for drugs. She also accepted the efforts Riley was making to tackle his drugs addiction.
