Gary Cooper, 59, from Glenmore Street in Belfast, received a four-month jail sentence at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on March 5 for thefts in Antrim. He appeared via video link from prison.

Cooper stole eight Yankee Candles worth £600 from Menarys at The Junction shopping centre on October 24. CCTV captured him entering four times and taking the items without payment. He also took cosmetics worth £363 from Gordons Chemist in Antrim on April 16, with CCTV showing him entering twice, placing goods in coat pockets and leaving unpaid. None of the stolen items were recovered.

The court heard Cooper has 164 prior convictions, including 65 for theft. He committed the Antrim offences while on bail. District Judge Nigel Broderick called the record atrocious and ordered the sentence served consecutively to Cooper's current term.

Recently at Antrim Crown Court, Cooper got 14 months, with seven in custody, for stealing £8,000 worth of men's clothing from shops in Portrush and Coleraine. He received further sentences at courts in Lisburn, Newtownards and Newry.

At Ards Court, Cooper took £670 worth of make-up and perfume from Boots and 11 Victoria's Secret pyjama sets worth £537 from Next at Bloomfield Shopping Centre in Bangor on December 3, 2024. On June 16, 2024, he stole products worth £640, including electric razors, from Boots at Ards Shopping Centre.

Cooper stole Lego worth £123 from B&M in Newtownards and food worth £23 from a bakery there on August 26. On September 5, he carried a bag for theft and tried to take Yankee Candles worth £52 from Menarys, where he assaulted a staff member shopping there by hitting her face.

On November 14, Cooper stole goods worth £258 from Gordons Chemist in Bangor. A defence barrister stated Cooper has diabetes, lost sight in one eye, faces toe removal surgery, and committed thefts to fund cocaine addiction.

Bail of £500 was set for appeal of the consecutive sentence, but Cooper remains in custody as his current term ends later this year.