Enniskillen Court House RMG10
A 27-year-old Newtownbutler man accused of a number of thefts across the North as part of an organised crime gang has appeared in court.
This includes the theft of an 83-year-old woman’s wedding ring from her finger, as well as her dead husband’s wedding band that was on a necklace she was wearing in an incident in Magherafelt back on October 9.
Silvester Crumlish, of Drumcru Road was arrested by police in relation to this offence and another matter in Cookstown on Friday October 16. A police detective constable at Enniskillen Magistrates Court outlined the Cookstown case. She explained that is alleged the accused was involved in burglaries at two houses in the Liscoole estate on the edge Cookstown.
On the night of October 9 at 9.40pm the owner of one of the properties in Liscoole returned home and saw that the front blinds open and observed a male moving around the front room. He then left through the rear of the property. A short time later he appeared from a nearby property talking on a mobile phone and was challenged by the owner. Another neighbour then assisted him in detaining Crumlish.
During the scuffle a mobile phone on the defendant’s person fell to the ground and was later seized by police. A short time later a dark coloured Audi estate drove towards the house with full beam headlights on and three masked men emerged, one holding a wheel brace. They threatened the owner of the pair and said they would “burn them out”. The masked men then left with Crumlish.
It is alleged that the defendant gained entry to the property through the rear of the house and stole two gold rings and stole a small amount of money and jewellery from another address in the estate. A woollen hat was found in the area and the DNA profile matched that of the defendant. During interview Crumlish gave no account of why his DNA was at the scene and of his whereabouts A witness identified Crumlish as the man responsible through an identification parade.
Police made objections to bail being granted to Crumlish stating there was a risk of further offending, with the accused suspected of being part of an organised crime gang, linked to incidents across the North and in the South. The court heard that Crumlish is on pre-charge bail in relation to another burglary on September 9 where a substantial amount of money was stolen from a member of the Chinese community in Enniskillen.
The constable also said there was a fear that the accused would interfere with witnesses and that he was a flight risk. A police search of the defendant’s address in Newtownbutler found very few personal belongings and neighbours stated he was not at the property on a frequent basis. The home search further recovered vehicle documentation for an Audi car, identified as being involved in burglaries across the North and in the South.
Defence solicitor Myles McManus said that the defendant maintained that between October 8 and 10 he never left Fermanagh and never committed any burglaries. He said Crumlish was “well settled in the Fermanagh area”, living with his pregnant partner, her mother and two children.
The defence added that Crumlish’s family had gathered £3,900, which was available to be lodged as cash surety.
District judge Nigel Broderick refused the application for bail stating that the the risk of flight and risk of interfering with witnesses were valid concerns. Crumlish was returned to custody to next appear via videolink at Dungannon Magistrates Court on November 11.
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