A BELFAST man who stole enough football shirts to start up his own team is to serve six months in custody, a judge has ordered.
The prison sentence was imposed on 30-year-old Brendan Patrick McKee for the theft of Liverpool and Manchester United tops from a shop in the north of the city.
McKee, of Lepper Street, targeted a branch of Sports Direct at the Cityside Retail Park on July 15 2021.
Belfast Magistrates Court heard he took 11 Liverpool shirts and a single Manchester United top during a raid carried out along with a second, unidentified man.
The stolen items had a total value of £572.90.
Prosecutors said the shirts were recovered in a bag dropped outside the store and fit for resale.
McKee handed himself in to police the following day and admitted stealing the goods.
Referring to the scale of the theft, District Judge Anne Marshall observed: “It was enough for a whole football team.”
Defence solicitor Ciaran Toner told her McKee’s life has been blighted by addiction issues.
“This was done purely to obtain money to buy drugs,” he added.
Judge Marshall confirmed: “I’m going to impose six months immediate custody.”