Three men who admitted playing varying roles in ATM thefts have been handed jail sentences amounting to more than 10 years while a fourth man walked free from court with a combination order.
Judge Roseanne McCormick KC told at Antrim Crown Court the series of thefts which were committed by an organised crime gang had caused damage and loss to businesses and local communities “in the hundreds of thousands.”
Kenneth David Clarke (32), from Broughshane Lane in Cullybackey was sentenced to five years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal, conspiring to commit arson and conspiring to cause criminal damage.
Jamie McConnell (31), Upper Hightown Road in Belfast was sentenced to three and a half years for the same offences.
Gary John Kincaid (36), from Flush Road also in Belfast was given 11 months for two charges of doing acts capable of encouraging or assisting in burglary or theft.
David Edward McClurkin (39), living at Mantlin Park in Kesh received a combination order of two years on probation and 60 hours of community service for one charge of doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting in burglary or theft.
The sentences will be served half in custody and half on licence.
The court heard that in general the offences involved a digger or excavator being stolen from a nearby building site or business premises.
A vehicle and/or a trailer would also driven to the scene and once the digger had ripped the ATM from the wall, it would be driven away to be emptied and the evidence destroyed, often by setting all the vehicles on fire.
Incidents occurred in Ballyclare, Mallusk, Moira, Crumlin, Antrim and Ballymena.
Sentencing the four men, Judge McCormick said the offending was pre-planned with a high degree of organisation, high value of offending and the “gratuitous destruction of property”.
She emphasised however the guilty pleas from each man were “particularly welcome” given the complexities of the case so an extensive amount of court time had been saved.