A man who tried to rob a Belfast supermarket so he could get free accommodation after arguing with his wife has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

William McCaw (39) walked free from Belfast Crown Court yesterday after Judge Gordon Kerr QC suspended a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for three years.

The court heard that McCaw, from Heath Lodge Avenue, had pleaded to attempting to rob Tesco's store on Dublin Road in the south of the city on July 17 last year.

Prosecuting solicitor John O'Neill said McCaw went armed with a 9-inch monkey wrench and stormed into the supermarket shouting “give me the f****** money”.

He hit the till with the wrench and a member of staff hit the panic alarm button which summoned security staff. One of the security staff disarmed McCaw who was detained on the floor until police arrived.

Mr O'Neill said that later during police interviews, McCaw admitted that since an argument with his wife he had been sleeping rough or at his father's house, so had “decided to get arrested and get somewhere for free accommodation”.

Defence lawyer Mark Farrell revealed that since the incident McCaw has been reunited with his wife and has taken steps to try to sort out his problems.

Belfast Telegraph