A 38-year old man who robbed an off licence in East Belfast with a Samurai sword whilst “completely inebriated” was handed a six-year sentence today (Tuesday).
Stephen Orchin appeared at Belfast Crown Court where he was sent to jail for two-and-a-half years.
On his release he’ll then serve a period of three years and six months on supervised licence, after he pleaded guilty to the robbery charge.
Judge Philip Gilpin said he had divided the sentence in this way to allow Orchin to address his long-standing addiction to alcohol whilst on Probation.
From Glenvarlock Street in Belfast, a drunken Orchin entered the Winemark store on the Woodstock Road at 8.50pm on Sunday September 15, 2019.
He lifted a bottle of wine that was sitting on a counter and smashed it on the floor before telling the two young male members of staff “sorry, you are being robbed”.
Orchin proceeded to produce a Samurai sword and sheath, and after placing the sheath on the counter and with the sword down by his side, he demanded money.
The staff members filled a Winemark carrier bag with around £100 in cash and Orchin placed the sword back in the sheath then left the premises. After robbing the off licence, Orchin crossed the road and ran along Hatton Drive, where CCTV captured him removing his upper clothing which revealed distinctive tattoos on his abdomen, back and arms.
The CCTV also recorded him getting into a taxi which took him to a Eurospar on Ladas Drive where he purchased some items using the stolen cash.
When he was arrested and interviewed about the robbery, Orchin was shown CCTV from the evening in question - and while he admitted it was him on the footage from the Eurospar, he initially denied he had carried out the robbery.
Defence barrister Mark Farrell said Orchin’s guilty plea reflected his remorse and told Judge Gilpin his client has expressed remorse for his actions and the impact the incident had on the two members of staff.
Mr Farrell said Orchin had a “chronic” alcohol problem and was “completely inebriated” during the incident, adding his client can be seen on the CCTV “shaking and unsteady on his feet”.
The barrister said that despite these alcohol issues, Orchin “has not been a nuisance” and has not offended since the September 2019 incident.
Judge Gilpin said that after watching footage of the robbery, it was obvious Orchin was “clearly intoxicated” and that after taking the sword out of its sheath he kept the weapon down by his side as opposed to brandishing it at staff.
He also spoke of the impact the robbery had on the two young staff members, saying “this must have been a frightening experience for them”.
The Judge added that whilst the robbery was “somewhat amateurish”, robbing a small shop was “a serious offence” and one which warranted a prison sentence.
Noting Orchin has been taking steps to address his addiction to alcohol, Judge Gilpin said the extended period on licence will allow him to benefit from the support offered by Probation.
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