Man accused of mugging 84-year-old pensioner at railway station is given bail

Damien Smith, 54, allegedly stole the victim’s wallet after an accomplice held him and threw away his walking stick at a railway stop just outside Belfast.

Smith, of Tonagh Drive in Lisburn, Co Antrim, is charged with robbing the elderly man of £200 in cash on August 14 last year.

A judge held that he can be released from custody after the prosecution described a delay in completing outstanding work in the case as outrageous.

The victim was targeted after boarding the train at Great Victoria Street in Belfast and being invited to sit with two men on the journey to Lisburn, the court heard.

At one point he challenged one of them, believed to be Smith’s co-accused, for allegedly taking his phone and a tin used to store medication while he was at the toilet.

A Crown lawyer said the conductor intervened and told all three men to get off the train at Derriaghy halt.

As the pensioner walked down a disabled access ramp he was followed and grabbed from behind by one of the robbers who seized his walking stick and held him over railings.

Smith allegedly went through his pockets, taking £200 in cash from a wallet before throwing the empty money holder back at him.

Both men who carried out the attack then walked off towards Lisburn.

“This was a particularly mean offence,” the prosecution barrister submitted.

With Smith denying any involvement in the robbery, Mr Justice Kinney was told CCTV footage at the railway platform only covers a period immediately prior to the attack.

However, the footage was caught up in a backlog of recordings to be uploaded onto police systems.

“The delay reached is outrageous,” counsel accepted.

Sean Devine, defending, argued that Smith has now served the equivalent of an 18-month sentence in custody on remand.

Granting bail to the accused, Mr Justice Kinney held that any risks can be managed by imposing a curfew and electronic monitoring.

He said: “I take account of the length of time it has taken to bring this matter forward.

“Somebody needs to get this case moving.”