Cases heard before Northern Ireland courts this past week included an inquest into the death of a seven-year-old who died after being hit by a car in West Belfast five years ago.
Elsewhere, a Belfast city centre shop was banned for 12 months from selling tobacco products after being caught selling cigarettes and vapes to children.
The courts also heard that an Irish language strategy will not be implemented during the lifetime of the current Stormont Executive, with campaigners now pressing for a judicial order to compel the Communities Minister to put a strategy in place.
Here is your latest round up of cases before the courts between Monday, May 11 and Friday, May 15.
‘I was numb’ – Driver who hit child in fatal crash gives evidence at inquest
Kaitlin McCoubrey-Fullerton(Image: Submitted)
This week, an inquest into the death of Kaitlin McCoubrey-Fullerton was held at Belfast Laganside Court. The seven-year-old died after being hit by a car in West Belfast five years ago.
One of the people giving evidence to the inquest was the driver of the car, Deirdre Crawford. Ms Crawford told Kaitlin’s family “I’m sorry you lost your beautiful child.”
Mrs Crawford told the inquest: “All I can remember is she came out… I didn’t see a child at all. My daughter screamed at me to brake and I did, but I didn’t understand why, I couldn’t see anything.”
She said Kaitlin came out from between two parked cars at a speed ramp, with just seconds between seeing the “flash of red” and the collision taking place.
Judge calls Belfast man ‘prolific career shoplifter’ before imposing jail time
Belfast Crown Court(Image: Presseye Mail )
An East Belfast man branded a “prolific career shoplifter” was jailed on Tuesday for 13-months for stealing almost £3,000 worth of items from local stores.
The court heard Aaron Douglas, 34, Global Crescent, has 100 previous convictions on his criminal record which included 92 for theft and two entries for burglary.
He previously pleaded guilty at Belfast Crown Court to 14 counts of theft, one of attempted theft, and possession of a quantity of cannabis.
Shop banned from selling tobacco products after kids sold cigarettes and vapes
Stock image of Belfast’s Laganside Courts.(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
A shop in Belfast city centre has been given a 12-month ban from selling tobacco products after cigarettes and vapes were sold to children.
The case was taken by Belfast City Council against Snack City, a shop trading from Unit 3, 104 College Building, College Avenue, Belfast, and was heard at Belfast Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
After a number of complaints that the shop was selling nicotine inhaling products to children, Belfast City Council officers organised test purchase exercises. They said during these exercises, both cigarettes and vapes were sold to child volunteers.
Irish language strategy delay “outrageous and unacceptable”, say campaigners
Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, Cuisle Nic Liam, Conchúr Ó Muadaigh from Conradh na Gaeilge pictured with Gary Duffy ((KRW LAW) pictured at the High Court this morning (Image: Presseye/Stephen Hamilton)
An Irish language strategy will not be implemented during the current Stormont Executive’s lifetime, the High Court heard on Wednesday.
The Department for Communities has confirmed there are no current plans to deliver the long-awaited blueprint before the power-sharing mandate ends next year, a judge was told. Irish language campaigners Conradh na Gaeilge described the development as “outrageous”.
The group is now pressing for a judicial order compelling Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to put a strategy in place.
Blackmailers threatened ‘petrified’ man after sex worker visit to Belfast home
The alleged victim also suffered a suspected broken arm as he tried to stop his laptop from being taken(Image: PA)
Blackmailers threatened a “petrified” man into sending them hundreds of pounds after a sex worker visited his home in South Belfast, the High Court on Thursday.
Prosecutors said a male intruder followed the escort into the victim’s house and held a pair of scissors to his throat. He also suffered a suspected broken arm as he tried to stop them from stealing his laptop during last month’s raid.
Details emerged as another woman accused of involvement in the plot was granted bail. Kristina Ponisi, 31, of Black Ridge Meadows in Belfast, faces charges of burglary, robbery and blackmail over the incident in the early hours of April 23 this year.
Man found guilty of attempting to murder police officers in bomb attack
Charlie Love has been charged with an attack on police in Strabane
A Co Tyrone man was on Thursday found guilty of attempting to murder police officers in Strabane in a bomb attack later claimed by the New IRA.
As he convicted Charlie Love on all four charges he faced at Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice Fowler said he was satisfied Love was “intimately connected with the planning and execution of what was a dissident terrorist bomb attack on a police car with two officers on board
“I am satisfied that it was the defendant’s intention that police officers would be killed.”
Co Antrim man ‘preyed upon’ pensioner before scamming him, court hears
Outside of the Crown Court at Laganside in Belfast(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
A Co Antrim man who preyed upon a 78-year old man and de-frauded him out of £6,500 was jailed for nine months on Thursday.
When he is released from prison, John McDonagh will spend an additional nine months on licence. As he imposed the 18-month sentence at Belfast Crown Court, Judge Neil Rafferty KC said: “Those who prey upon vulnerable, elderly people can expect nothing but custodial sentences.”
From Hillhead Cottages in Toomebridge, 28-year old McDonagh pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by false representation committed on dates between January 1 and 4, 2018.
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