BALLYMENA: A 46-year-old man from Ballymena who sent inappropriate messages online while believing he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl - but was in fact speaking with an undercover police officer - received an eight-month jail sentence suspended for two years, a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register. Richard Steele, of Crankill Road, Ballymena, had admitted two charges of attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

BALLYMENA: A 36-year-old man is charged with stealing steel, aluminium and skips worth more than £1,700 from a business in Antrim across three days in May last year. The case against Sheldon Donaldson, whose address is listed as Chichester Park Central in Ballymena, was adjourned to 26 March.

BELFAST: Brandon Rainey, 29, accused of the murder of Chloe Mitchell, appeared unrepresented at Belfast Crown Court after his legal team was granted permission to withdraw following an irretrievable breakdown in the client-lawyer relationship. The case was adjourned to Friday to allow Rainey further time to secure new legal representation.