Young footballer faces nine months in jail for Belfast designer robbery

A former footballing prospect who stole thousands of pounds worth of designer clothes in a raid on a Belfast boutique has been jailed for nine months.

Caoimhin Black fled with a bag full of ladieswear after breaking into Mint Velvet in the city centre.

The 23-year-old, of Conway Place in Belfast, pleaded guilty to carrying out the burglary on December 13 last year.

Police were alerted when staff at the store on Arthur Street discovered a large amount of high-value returned items were missing. 

CCTV checks established that two males had forced open doors on an adjacent office block before gaining access to the boutique through a fire exit.

A prosecution lawyer told Belfast Magistrates’ Court the pair were observed exiting a short time later carrying a large blue bag.

“They quickly left the area and the clothing was not recovered,” she added.

The stolen items had a total retail value of £2,063.

Defence counsel John O’Connor disclosed that Black is currently in prison for other offences and not due to be released until December.

“He was a promising young footballer but now finds himself in and out of custody on a regular basis,” the barrister said.

“However, he has now received a barbering qualification and is doing that in the custodial setting for other prisoners.”

Imposing a nine-month sentence for the burglary, District Judge George Conner held: “This was a serious matter, there was a significant loss to the store.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.