Man has sentencing adjourned following Irish army application

A 24-year-old County Tyrone man who admitted causing around £1,400 of damage after a night out in Magherafelt has had his sentencing hearing adjourned after applying to join the Irish army.

Thomas Mullin, of Hillbank Fold, James Street, Omagh, entered a guilty plea at Magherafelt Magistrates Court in August to three charges of criminal damage relating to an incident on December 26 2019.

A previous hearing had heard the defendant had collapsed a fence in the Piney Hill area, before removing a flagstone from a nearby property and throwing it at a car following a night out.

Following the completion of a pre-sentence report, the defendant appeared before the same court for sentencing on Wednesday.

However, Mullins' defence counsel explained that in the intervening period, the defendant had applied to join the Irish army, a claim for which Judge Mullan requested proof.

Man toppled fence and hit car with flagstone in drunken Co Derry 'rampage'

Defence said the consumption of alcohol was a factor in the incident.

The defendant told the judge he had completed medical and physical tests and was awaiting an official offer of employment.

His defence further explained this left the defendant unsure how much time he could commit to any potential probation order the judge was minded to impose.

They requested the judge defer sentencing for a number of weeks, at which point counsel may have more information available.

Judge Mullan queried whether the defendant had disclosed the details of this case during his application, and pointed out the 'quite extensive damage' caused by the offence.

Defence suggested the Irish army may take into account the seriousness of the offence and the attitude taken by the court during any recruitment process.

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The incident occurred in the car park of a local Tesco store.

The judge indicated she had been minded to impose a suspended sentence on the defendant, and was 'not convinced' by the pre-sentence report that probation would be suitable.

She questioned how Mullins would be able to find time to complete probation if he was successful in his application.

“I need more definite information,” she added, before adjourning the case until November 2 for review and to allow the defendant's 'position on employment' to become more clear.