A MAN had a “crisis of conscience” and phoned police to “confess” to a knife hold-up which happened three and a half years ago at a store at The Junction retail park in Antrim, his defence barrister told a court on Tuesday.
Eamonn Murphy (24), of Corbally Avenue in Antrim, appeared before Antrim Magistrates Court in connection with charges of robbing a Centra store of £308 cash and possessing an offensive weapon – a knife – with intent to commit robbery on May 27, 2017.
During a Preliminary Enquiry – the legal step to send a case to the Crown Court – a prosecutor submitted there was a case to answer.
A defence barrister had no contrary submissions.
The defence lawyer said it was an “odd case”.
Noting that the incident happened three and a half years ago he said the defendant had a “crisis of conscience and phoned 101, called police, and confessed to a robbery”.
The defendant was released on his own bail of £500 with a condition banning him from the Centra at The Junction.
District Judge Nigel Broderick sent the case to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment on January 5
At the time of the robbery police said a member of staff has been left badly shaken after being threatened at knifepoint.
The incident happened shortly after 8am on a Saturday.
Police said at the time a robber produced a knife and ordered that the till be opened and then made off with a sum of cash.
Police said that although shaken, the member of staff was not physically injured.