A man who was arrested following a robbery at a small shop went free for ten years because "the matter was simply forgotten by the authorities". Paul James Walsh, 41, of Milford Close failed to turn up for court after his arrest for robbing a local shop in north Belfast in 1999. He was not re-arrested for a decade, despite a warrant being issued and him continuing to live at the same address. He was jailed for six months and must spend a further year on probation. A prosecution lawyer told the court how the shop owner's 16-year-old daughter had been working behind the counter when three men walked in and demanded the contents of the till and cigarettes. The lawyer said the teenager was smart enough to "react slowly" in opening the till and only did so when she saw her father's car pull up outside. When he saw what was happening inside, he locked the front door. Tinned goods The lawyer told the court when the three realised they were trapped, Walsh grabbed a baseball bat from under the counter and tried to smash the front window. The other two robbers tried to break the window with tinned goods but failed and the gang were arrested when police arrived at the scene. Ten years ago Walsh's accomplices were jailed for two and three years respectively after they pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and criminal damage. Walsh also pleaded guilty to those charges. A defence lawyer told the court that in the intervening period, Walsh had continued to live at the same address and had not fled Belfast. He added that following the incident, his client was so disgusted at himself he vowed never to offend again. Sentencing the defendant to six months in prison and a further year on probation, the judge said "the matter was simply forgotten by the authorities."



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