A 20-year-old man, accused of causing criminal damage to a car and house at the weekend by throwing blocks, has been refused bail.
Billy Joe White of Baragh Gardens in Ballinamallard appeared before Monday’s bail hearing at Enniskillen Magistrates Court charged with criminal damage to a Vauxhall Astra belonging to Jordan White and the window of a house belonging to Amanda White at Drumsloe Road, Ballinamallard on Saturday last, September 2nd.
The court heard that the damage was reported to police who visited the scene. They observed that the car’s rear bumper had been pulled off and there was glass and pieces of wood on the ground where a stone had been thrown through one of the windows. A cement block had also been thrown inside a window of the house.
White was identified on CCTV at the location from which he had been ordered to stay away from in a previous bail hearing. When arrested and interviewed at Enniskillen Police Station, White admitted that he had walked to the home of his distant relatives to confront Jordan White but had lost his temper and damaged the car with a plank of wood he had brought with him. He also admitted lifting a cement block and throwing it through a house window.
District Judge Nigel Broderick was told that the incident had caused substantial damage to the vehicle and property, which was the result of an ongoing feud. In his interview, the defendant told police that he “hated” Jordan White.
Defence solicitor, Gary Black told the court that on the date of the incident, it had not been his client’s intention to cause damage but he had received “a provocation Facebook message which had triggered this unfortunate incident”.
“My client lives within walking distance of the injured party and had wanted to talk to him but matters got out of hand. This chain of events involving distant relatives had resulted in his court appearance today when he was due to be attending an induction at South West College,” Mr Black added.
Judge Broderick said he was not prepared to admit White to bail and expressed concern that the defendant would not be able to control his temper and would interfere with witnesses.
White was remanded in custody to Magheraberry Prison to appear in court again via video-link on September 11th. He was given leave to appeal the judge’s decision in the High Court and also ordered to stay away from Drumsloe Road, Ballinamallard.
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