A Belfast man whose criminality featured on a BBCNI programme was turned into police by a relative who recognised him on CCTV footage, a court has heard.
The details emerged at Belfast Crown Court where Kyle Charles Donaghy was sentenced for three offences dating back to 2021.
The 26-year old, from Ormeau Road, was handed a two-and-a-half year sentence, which was suspended for two years, by Judge Geoffrey Miller KC.
The court heard that on the morning of July 6 2021 the occupants of a property in the Ardmore Avenue area of the city discovered their home had been burgled.
Items taken included two TVs, four laptops, an Xbox, clothing, a pair of sunglasses and a guitar.
Keys to a blue Renault Clio and the car were also stolen from the house and the vehicle was recovered later that day at an underground car park in Elgin Street in the city.
When recovered, the Clio displayed substantial damage to the bonnet.
CCTV in the area captured two males both in the Clio and on foot in the car park and this footage was later televised in the BBC Crime NI programme.
Police were subsequently contacted by a relative of Donaghy's who watched the programme and recognised him from the footage.
He was arrested in December of that year and when his property was searched, a number of stolen items were recovered.
Donaghy pleaded guilty to three offences - namely aggravated vehicle taking and causing damage between July 4 and 7 2021, driving with no insurance on the same dates and handling stolen goods between July 4 and December 30 2021.
With 79 previous convictions, Donaghy later claimed he had little recollection of his offending.
Judge Miller said he had taken into consideration Donaghy's "troubled and complex" background which includes mental health issues exacerbated by substance misuse.
Noting Donaghy has already spend a period in custody, Judge Miller imposed the suspended sentence and banned him from driving for five years.