Man jailed after breaking electronic tag while having sex

A man who damaged an electronic monitoring tag on his ankle after it got caught on a tap while having sex in the bath at his girlfriend's house has been jailed for a month.
Electronic tagElectronic tag
Electronic tag

Anthony Craig (23), of Barra Street, Antrim, contacted G4S, who monitor the tags, on Saturday evening to say he had accidentally damaged the device, Coleraine Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to damaging the tag which had been fitted as part of bail conditions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A prosecutor told the court Craig said he was “having sex in the bath when the tag got caught around a tap” causing it to come off and break into small pieces.

Defence barrister Alan Stewart said the incident happened in the defendant’s girlfriend’s house and said it was not the sort of excuse someone was likely to make up.

“Unfortunately it was true and is fairly embarrassing,” said the barrister.

When Craig went to his parents’ house at Shankbridge near Ballymena, where he was bailed to in relation to other charges, Mr Stewart said they “flipped their lid” when they found out the tag was broken.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The prosecutor said police received a report of Craig fighting with his father and brother and as a result his mother had withdrawn the bail address.

When police arrived Craig told officers to “f--k off” and had to be restrained.

Jailing Craig for a month for causing criminal damage to the tag, which was worth £71.70, District Judge Liam McNally, also noted it was the defendant’s fourth breach of bail.

Craig was previously given bail for making threats to kill a man following an incident on Sunday, October 16 at a flat at Barra Street in the Springfarm estate in Antrim.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He faces a total of five charges in relation to that including making threats to kill; threats to damage the man’s flat and causing criminal damage to a television, windows, hi-fi and other household items belonging to the man.

He is charged with aggravated burglary with intent to commit unlawful damage by having a weapon of offence - which was not named on the court papers - and a further charge of burglary by stealing a tv at the flat.

Bail has been revoked and that case has been adjourned to Antrim Magistrates Court later this month.

Related topics: