Police catch burglar after he left his own medication box at victim's home

26 April 2023 , 16:29

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Sean Foster was told the sentence will be divided between a year in prison followed by two years on licence (Image: Google)

A man who left a box of medication bearing his address in a house he burgled was handed a three-year sentence today.

Sean Foster was told the sentence will be divided between a year in prison followed by two years on licence after he appeared at Belfast Crown Court.

The 31-year old, from New Barnsley Park in West Belfast, pleaded guilty to three offences arising from two separate incidents.

The court heard on September 20, 2021, Foster attended a house party in the city and stole a bank card from a handbag.

He was arrested later that day after trying to steal a pair of hair straighteners from a Boots store.

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A second incident involving Foster occurred on February 7, 2022, when he broke into a house on Brighton Street in Belfast armed with a screwdriver.

The male occupant confronted him in the kitchen and Foster threatened him with the screwdriver. A grapple between the two men ensued and after Foster released himself, he fled the scene.

Foster's coat came off during the struggle and he left both the screwdriver and a box of medication bearing his address at the scene – the latter of which led police to his door.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the theft of both the bank card and hair straighteners in September 2021 and to the burglary committed the following February.

Noting Foster has a "relevant and lengthy" criminal record consisting of 76 previous offences, Judge Paul Ramsey cited Foster's addiction issues as being "at the centre of his offending".

As he passed sentence, Judge Ramsey said he was imposing the longer period on licence to allow Foster to engage with Probation and attend courses designed to address his offending, reports BelfastLive.

The Judge said: "The defendant must comply with the terms of the licence which involve an alcohol and drugs counselling programme and also the Thinking Skills programme.

"He knows that if he doesn't engage in that, then he'll be back in custody again."

Ashleigh McDonald