Took furniture and appliances from rented property

Lisa Montgomery, Austin Drive, Tandragee admitted the theft of the items between August 1, 2013, and February 2, 2014, from the house at Union Street, Lurgan.

The court heard that on March 20 last year police received a report from the landlord about items that had been removed from the house.

These included a fridge, a single bed, a mattress, curtains, a sofa, a washing machine, a toaster, kettle, foldaway chairs and an ironing board. The values of the items came to £867.

When the defendant was spoken to she said she only took the washing machine because she could not afford one. She also said to police did they not look in the hedges because ‘we threw lots of stuff out’.

The court heard that another defendant is to appear in court and Montgomery claimed he told her to take items even though she knew it was theft. She did not tell the owner of the house or seek permission to remove any of the items.

Mr Gerry Drain, representing the defendant, said that the other person involved was her partner at that stage.

He added that she now knew what she did was wrong. She was on benefits but was prepared to make recompense on a weekly basis.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said Montgomery had no entitlement to take anything and claimed to be influenced by another person who will be before the court.

He adjourned the case until March 11 so that a short sentence report could be obtained.