A 19-year-old who received compensation money which made her an “attractive proposition to other criminal peers,” a defence lawyer told Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday March 25.
Louise Craig, of Mount Street Mews in Coleraine was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work in connection with a number of offences.
Last May she stole vodka and cider worth £18.60 from Lidl in Ballymena and then assaulted a ‘designated person’ by slapping him in the face.
On the same date she attempted to damage a telephone at Coleraine PSNI Station.
In August she assaulted a police officer.
During that incident she was drunk and the policewoman was assaulted as the officer intervened when Craig tried to take pills.
In September the defendant stole items including make-up worth £4.07 from Boots in Ballymena.
Later in September last year she was in possession of cannabis and Xanax.
The defence lawyer said Craig had a record and much of the offending involved “petty crime to finance a serious addiction problem”.
District Judge Peter King said he could jail the defendant but said her issues were perhaps best dealt with in the community.
As a “direct alternative” to jail he ordered her to do 120 hours of Community Service and he also extended the period of suspended sentences the defendant had to three years.
