Man who stole bicycle belonging to 12-year-old boy jailed

Stephen Hamilton (52), with an address at Belmore Court Motel, Enniskillen, appeared via video link at Enniskillen Magistrates' Court on Monday, 29th July.

A prosecutor told the court how on 19th June of this year, police received a report that a bicycle, worth £150, had been stolen in Enniskillen.

During the incident, a 12-year-old had left his bicycle at Enniskillen bus centre but stated that he had "forgotten to lock it".

He travelled to school by bus, but when he returned later that day at 3:30 pm, he discovered that the bicycle had been stolen.

Police viewed CCTV provided by Translink and observed Hamilton purchasing a bus ticket.

A bus driver told police that Hamilton had boarded a bus on that date with a bicycle.

The following day, Translink contacted police to report that Hamilton had returned to the bus station.

Officers questioned Hamilton, who admitted to stealing the bicycle. It was subsequently recovered and returned to its owner.

Expressing her disgust at the incident, District Judge Alana McSorley said: "Imagine what it was like for a child to get off the bus, only to realise that his bike had been stolen?"

Barrister John Paul McCann said that "alcohol was a major factor" in the case, and that Hamilton had a "difficult background in terms of alcohol, depression, and anxiety."

"In terms of his lifestyle, it hasn't been good since 2023," the barrister said. "He was living in Dundonald for a considerable period of time, but a fire destroyed his property.

"He was relocated to Enniskillen, and as a result of being homeless, was put up in a hotel there."

The barrister added that at the time of the incident, Hamilton did not believe the bicycle had an owner, as it was "unsecured".

He asked that District Judge Alana McSorley afford Hamilton "maximum credit" for immediately admitting to the offence when questioned by police.

Judge McSorley said that the "custody threshold had been met" and imposed a prison sentence of one month.