A court in Belfast has jailed a heroin addict from Dublin for four years for a series of crimes carried out to get money for drugs. The court heard Derek Anthony Duffy, who was sleeping rough in Glengormley, Co Antrim, had ripped a gold chain from the neck of an assistant during a raid at a Mace store after waving a hatchet at her and threatening to kill her.
Duffy (35), from Marcoon Road, Coolock, pleaded guilty to the robbery on January 9th in which more than £60, some cigarettes and the chain worth £150 were taken. He also admitted having heroin on January 11th, burglary on January 12th, hijacking a car later the same day and having a replica gun with intent to hijack.
Judge Anthony Hart was told Duffy had a record for robbery in the Republic and was on bail at the time. The court was told the heroin was bought in Ballymena using the proceeds of the robbery. The burglary, carried out the following day to obtain more money, failed because the householder returned and disturbed Duffy, who escaped through a window.
Later that day he hijacked a car in Glengormley, threatening the driver with a replica gun which he claimed he had found in a skip. He was arrested shortly afterwards when he abandoned the car. Duffy was jailed for four years for robbery, with lesser concurrent terms on the other charges.