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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
John Cassidy

West Belfast man spared jail after being unlawfully at large from jail

Belfast West Belfast Prison Police PSNI

A West Belfast man was today (Wednesday) handed a four month prison sentence suspended for a year for being unlawfully at large from jail.

Kieran ‘Zack’ Smyth, 63, formerly of Springfield Avenue, appeared at Belfast Crown Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison to mount a bail application.

But a defence barrister told Judge Philip Babington that the bail application was being formally withdrawn and Smyth was then re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to being unlawfully at large from the prison. Prosecution barrister Robin Steer said Smyth had been sentenced in 2015 to 12 years in prison for a “violent house robbery”.

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