A 40-year-old Douglas man has been jailed for three and a half months after a trio of thefts.

The offences put Craig William Tiernan in breach of a suspended sentence.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood sentenced him to six weeks custody for the thefts, and activated two months of his suspended sentence, to run consecutively.

We previously reported that Tiernan went to Shoprite on Bridson Street in Port Erin on January 4.

He walked around the store with a trolley but then put a bottle of Jack Daniels whisky and a bottle of Prosecco, valued at a  total of £50, in his rucksack and left without paying.

The following day, Tiernan went back to the same shop and this time put two bottles of Jack Daniels, costing £44, in his rucksack, and again left without paying.

On January 8, the defendant went to EVF on Peel Road in Douglas.

He put a bottle of Raspberry Sourz liqueur, valued at £14.50, under his jacket and left.

All the incidents were captured on CCTV footage and Tiernan was subsequently arrested

In October 2022, Tiernan was sentenced to four months custody, suspended for two years.

That was for refusing to take a breathalyser test, resisting arrest, speeding, and having no driving licence or vehicle tax.

Tiernan was due to be sentenced for his latest offences at the end of last month, but failed to turn up and was arrested on a warrant.

This came after several other occasions when he had failed to appear.

Defence advocate Helen Lobb handed a six-page letter written by her client.

Tiernan asked for his supervision to be allowed to continue, but a probation report said that he had not been engaging with his probation and concluded that a custodial sentence was now the only realistic option.

The report said that Tiernan had self-reported in January that he had been injecting cocaine.

Ms Lobb said that this had been the first breach of the suspended sentence since 2022, and the latest offences had been low-level shoplifting.

The advocate said that Tiernan, who lives at Harris promenade in Douglas, had been clear of illicit substances for seven days now.

Deputy High Bailiff Ms Braidwood said of Tiernan's letter, that he had also previously handed in a letter, then failed to turn up for court again.

‘I'm afraid Mr Tiernan's words tend to ring a little hollow,‘ she added.