A 21-year-old Belfast man who attempted to commit a second robbery while awaiting a deferred sentence has been jailed for 18 months.
Judge Gordon Kerr QC told Anthony Wylie that, although he had been given the chance to show the court he could change his ways, he "unfortunately decided not to take that opportunity".
Wylie, from Kansas Avenue in the north of the city, with 106 previous convictions, mainly for low level dishonesty, had been awaiting sentence for robbing a taxi driver of approx £60 in cash. He pleaded guilty today to attempting to rob a friend of a wallet while armed with a knife.
Prosecution counsel Simon Jenkins told the Crown Court that on Boxing Day last year, Wylie approached a friend in North Queen Street, initially asking him for a cigarette, before asking for "a tenner in change". On being told he had no cash Wylie produced a kitchen knife and threatened him.
Mr Jenkins said that a struggle ensued during which the man lost his wallet containing around £600 but fortunately a passer-by picked it up, and although Wylie claimed to be the owner, it was given back to the man when his 'ID' was found inside.
Defence barrister Michael Boyd said all of Wylie's offending was "designed to fund his addiction" to both prescription and non-prescription drugs.
Mr Boyd said while awaiting sentence Wylie had been behaving well but following the death of a friend he "unfortunately at Christmas last year seems to have gone off the wagon and went on a binge of both drink and drugs".
The lawyer further claimed Wylie had felt himself under threat and had been carrying the knife "to deter any attack on himself"
Mr Boyd said since being returned to prison Wylie had undertaken a number of programmes and the "signs are positive ..... hopefully the penny is beginning to drop .... that this criminal behaviour has to stop and that he has to deal with his underlying drug problem" or face the prospect of facing ever increasing terms of imprisonment.
