A 39-year-old Ballymena man has been remanded in custody at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on charges relating to a series of alleged thefts.

Gary Cully, of Barra Drive in Ballykeel, faces 27 charges including thefts from Sainsbury's in Ballymena and Coleraine, Home Bargains, Tesco in Ballymena, and Marks & Spencer. Items allegedly taken between April and August included razors, protein powders, scented candles, meat, and alcohol worth almost £1,200, including £131 of champagne and £50 of alcohol from Sainsbury's in July.

A police officer told the court that in July the defendant entered Sainsbury's wearing an ill-fitting blonde wig and went straight to the alcohol section. Cully is also charged with possession of cannabis on October 14.

During interview, Cully said he could not recall some of the alleged incidents due to alcohol influence. He has 54 previous convictions.

Deputy District Judge Mark Hamill described Cully as "basically a one-man crimewave" and said the risk of further offending was "a certainty". He said that if Cully were released on bail, shopkeepers would "be in tears". The judge remanded Cully in custody and adjourned the case to mid-November.

In a separate case at the same court on the same day, Robert Campbell, aged 48, of Wakehurst Court in Ballymena, was fined £150 after admitting possession of methadone and cannabis. The offences were detected on April 8, 2025.

A defence barrister said Campbell, a single man on Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit, has battled drug misuse throughout his life and is no stranger to the courts. Campbell previously had suspended jail sentences.

Judge Hamill noted that Campbell is a former heroin addict and questioned who pays for his drugs, stating that the answer is the taxpayer. He added that the taxpayer had a narrow escape when Campbell avoided prison previously.