A high risk sex offender from Armagh added to an “atrocious” criminal record by driving off from a petrol station without paying for a tank of fuel.
The Armagh I reported that Richard McCrea, who now goes by the name David Hatch, appeared at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday with £70 to pay for the fuel he stole on August 7, last year.
Last week, Hatch had claimed that his car had broken down on his way to court and that he went back to the filling station the next day (August 8, 2022) to pay for the fuel.
However, prosecution said there was no record of the payment being made and Hatch was given a week to prove his story was true.
Unable to prove he had paid, Hatch – who has more than 50 previous convictions – returned on Wednesday with the money, via his solicitor.
According to the Armagh I, before passing sentence, the judge queried: “Mr Hatch doesn’t have any previous record, does he?”
The prosecution quickly replied: “He does, it’s quite a significant one.”
But his defence added: “It’s quite an atrocious record, but theft, there’s only one previous.”
It was noted that the fuel theft was a “very silly offence” because there was CCTV all around the forecourt.”
The Judge, in handing down a two-year conditional discharge, said: “On this occasion I have to say, given the cost of all matters petroleum at the minute, whether it’s petrol or oil, or whatever it might happen to be, this is a particularly mean offence.”
Under the name McCrea, Hatch has more than 50 criminal convictions including multiple entries for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) when he was jailed for sexual communication with a child and attempted grooming.
