Man who made 77 withdrawals totalling £11k after bank glitch is put on probation
PREPARE to be spooked with this year’s brand new Halloween event in Ballymena.
On October 31, the People’s Park will hosts tricks and treats with some creepy characters roaming the ground.
The free event, organised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, will thrill and chill with a packed programme of fireworks, a huge walking dragon, fire jugglers, a haunted marquee, scary story tellers, a kiddies funfair and live music.
It kicks off at 6pm and ends at 8.30pm. The Coves, will perform a full live set on the music stage following a mix of Halloween stompers from DJ Brian Reynolds.
Elsewhere in the user-friendly park there will be spooky storytelling, mask and treat bag making workshops, scary stilt walkers, balloon modellers and professional fire performers.
Thrill seekers will be able to get their hands on some real creepy creatures and reptiles or go on a Trick or Treat Hunt.
Admission is free.
A 38-YEAR-OLD Danske Bank customer who withdrew thousands of pounds during a cash machine glitch was put on a year’s probation yesterday after agreeing to complete 60 hours community service.
Paul Cameron was just one of more than 1,500 people who withdrew over £1.6m in unauthorised ATM withdrawals in September 2017.
Judge Patricia Smyth told
Cameron, from Collinbridge Manor, Newtownabbey, that his thefts of over £11,000 were “greedy, opportunistic offences”.
The Crown Court judge said what he and others did was not a victimless crime as other bank customers will end up paying for it, and no one should have the idea that they can rob their bank because of technical problems.
While Judge Smyth also told Cameron he would get credit for his admissions, as it saved the system both time and money, his completion of community service would allow him “to pay something back to the community that you have harmed”.
Prosecutor Natalie Pinkerton said while some customers had repaid approximately £273,000, the Danish bank still faces a loss of £1.3m due to the 24-hour technical fault originating in Denmark,butwhichledtoATMmalfunctions in Northern Ireland.
Ms Pinkerton said that Cameron told police that he realised what was happening after spotting “large crowds” surrounding every cash machine he passed.
He “saw the opportunity to get himself out of a hole” even though “he knew it was wrong and that he was sorry”.
The prosecution counsel said that in the space of just under two hours on September 6, 2017, Cameron made 77 withdrawals, totalling £11,190, and attempted to get a further £1,440 through eight other failed ATM transactions.
Defence lawyer Charlene Dempsey said Cameron, who has been drug free for the past 18 months, saw the opportunity of repaying his significant drug debts and rent arrears of over £3,000.
Ms Dempsey said that Cameron, “who always knew he would be caught”, had “racked up” debts to fund his cocaine and alcohol addictions which finally led to the break-up of his marriage.
And the monies went to pay off those debts, including rent arrears.
Ms Dempsey added that when police called to his home they found “no trappings of wealth or signs of an expensive lifestyle”.