Farmer threatened with sledgehammer, court told
A farmer was threatened with a sledgehammer in one of a series of "audacious" cross-border ram-raids on isolated homes, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday.
Prosecutors claimed two men targeted properties around Armagh, breaking through shutters or gates to steal lawnmowers and other equipment.
One of the suspects, John Paul Ward, of Townley Meadows, Tullyallen, Drogheda, Louth, faces 37 charges over the alleged two-day crime spree at the end of July.
The 21-year-old is accused of multiple counts of criminal damage, theft and burglary, possession of an offensive weapon and motoring offences.
He is further charged with hijacking, theft and common assault over a separate incident in Newry in March when a 14-year-old boy was allegedly dragged from his father's car.
Two men stole the vehicle along with a trailer containing thousands of pounds worth of power tools, the court heard.
Conor Maguire, prosecuting, also disclosed that Ward's co-accused has absconded since being granted compassionate release for a family funeral last month.
Opposing Ward's bail application, Mr Maguire said in one incident the owner of a farm in Middletown returned home on July 31 to find a van parked there and the padlocks on his shed broken.
The farmer tried to block the van but was told to move his car, the court heard.
"The younger male, who is believed to be this applicant, threatened the injured party with a sledgehammer," Mr Maguire said.
The two suspects, both described as members of the travelling community, were later arrested in the Crossmaglen area.
Mr Maguire added: "There's an element of professionalism about how these burglaries were carried out, given the nature of ramming the gates. They were done in a brazen way."
A defence barrister said Ward denied all the offences he is charged with.
She said her client claimed he was dropped off in Crossmaglen by his wife and knew nothing about the transit van allegedly used in the raids.
"The applicant maintains there will be no forensic link between him and the van or any of the items recovered in the van."
Refusing bail, Lord Justice Higgins held there was a risk of offending and of Ward fleeing.
He said that, according to the Crown, the two accused had embarked on "an audacious series of cross-border raids on isolated premises on this side of the border".
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Monday 28 May 2012
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