Man in court after rucksack with 'sinister' items found in Coleraine
A Co Londonderry man appeared in court yesterday accused of a catalogue of offences after the police found a rucksack filled with “sinister” items.
Appearing at Coleraine Magistrate’s Court by videolink from police custody, the 40-year-old, who we are not naming for legal reasons, confirmed his identity and that he understood the nine charges against him.
On an indictment covering a time span between September 1 last year and February 13 this year the Portstewart man, faces charges of false imprisonment of a woman, assault, two charges of theft, possessing weapons with intent to commit sexual assault, subjecting the alleged victim to domestic abuse, disclosing a private sexual image, causing criminal damage to a door and going equipped for burglary, theft or cheat.
None of the alleged facts giving rise to the charges were opened in court but the particulars of the theft offences accuse him of stealing keys, bank cards and “adult toys” while the weapons offence alleged that he had “knives and hammers with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely sexual assault.”
The charges arise after the police were alerted to a rucksack containing cable ties, condoms, a change of clothes and a balaclava - items described as “sinister” by former justice minister Claire Sugden - was found in the Strand Road area of Coleraine.
In court yesterday defence solicitor Andrew Kinney said that his client had “asked me to expressly state that he contests all the matters that have been outlined to the court”.
The man was remanded into custody.