A ‘prolific offender’ charged with burgling properties in Derry was refused bail at the city’s Magistrate’s Court on Saturday.
Dean Beattie, 25, whose address was given as Glenowen Park, has been charged with burgling a property in Nicholson Square and burgling a property with intent to steal on February 26 on Duncreggan Road.
He is further charged with possessing class B drug cannabis on March 1.
The court heard that two televisions, hair straighteners and a hair drier from the property at Nicholson Square.
A police officer appeared in court to confirm that he could connect the defendant to the charges.
He said the 25-year-old was subject to five sets of court bail conditions after being released in January of this year.
Beattie was described as a ‘prolific offender’, the PSNI officer said, and he was in breach of his bail terms after being charged with these new offences.
Objecting to bail the police officer said Beattie has sixty-eight previous convictions and he feared that if released ‘he will continue to offend’.
At the time of his arrest further breaches were cited including possession of a mobile phone – which he was banned from possessing – and possession of drugs.
The officer asked District Judge Oonagh Mullan to remand the defendant into custody.
A defence solicitor said the breach was accepted ‘in the sense he wasn’t at his grandfather’s home’ and the drugs breach was accepted but he said it was a ‘fraction of a gram’.
He conceded it was a ‘difficult application’ but said the substantive burglary matters were denied.
When questioned about the Duncreggan burglary, the 25-year-old provided police with a ‘full account of his movements’, the defence solicitor said.
The court was told a window was broken in this property but that there is ‘little or no evidence placing him there’.
In terms of the Nicholson Square burglary he said there was ‘no evidence placing him there’ or proof he burgled it.
It was submitted that Beattie has spent ‘close to 100 days in custody’ and his parent’s home was put forward as a possible bail address.
Judge Mullan said that amongst the defendant’s previous convictions were fourteen burglaries and ‘a number for drugs as well’.
“It is clear the defendant will continue to reoffend even when granted bail – the consequence of this will be his remand into custody,” she added.
Bail was refused due to a risk of further offending and a failure to abide by bail conditions. The 25-year-old will appear in court by way of video link on March 28.
Above - Beattie pictured making his escape from the courthouse in Derry in December 2015.
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