A Ballymena man has been jailed for nine months after stealing from a charity box and shops in the Fairhill Shopping Centre.

James Thomas Ward, 45, of St Patrick's Way, admitted taking £50 from a charity box at The Works store on January 21, and £200 from the Jack & Jones store the same day.

Ward also admitted stealing a bicycle worth £360 from the toy department of Cameron's department store in Ballymena on December 19 last year.

The court heard Ward entered The Works at 8.21am through a partially open shutter before staff had opened the store. CCTV showed him in the service yard at 8.15am and at Jack & Jones about 15 minutes later.

Prosecutors described the incidents as technical burglaries, with shop staff saying £50 cash was taken from a charity box at the till area in The Works and £190 in notes and £10 in change from Jack & Jones.

A defence barrister said the offending was driven by drug addiction. Ward indicated he intends to appeal the sentence.

Deputy District Judge Alan White ordered Ward to remain in custody until the appeal is heard.

In a separate case, a 35-year-old Crumlin man has been jailed for nine months for spitting on a man outside a pub and on a police officer.

Sean Savage, of Cairn Gardens, Crumlin, committed the offences on May 28. He was ejected from the Greedy Goat pub and spat directly on a man's face outside.

Savage refused to be placed in a cell van and spat on a police officer. He also admitted shoplifting goods worth almost £500 on nine occasions in May.

A defence solicitor said Savage had struggled with mental health difficulties. He appeared at Ballymena Magistrates' Court via video link from prison.