Court told that ATM theft accused has amassed 251 previous convictions
A court has been told that a man who is accused of trying to break into an ATM has 251 prior convictions.
Appearing in the dock of Belfast Magistrates’ Court today, 51-year-old Alex Carlin was charged with attempted burglary, going equipped for burglary, and with causing criminal damage to the door of the unit housing the ATM on Monday, July 13.
Carlin, with an address at Margaretta Crescent in Dunmurry, was also further charged with possessing cocaine and cannabis on the same date.
A detective constable told the court that he believed he was able to connect Carlin to each of the alleged offences, adding that police would be objecting to bail due to concerns about further alleged offending on the part of the accused.
The officer outlined that just after 4am, a member of the public alerted police to a possible ATM theft on the Upper Lisburn Road in Finaghy.
When police arrived, they saw a woman running along the roof of a nearby building while Carlin was standing in front of the door which had sustained visible damage.
After the woman was helped down from the roof by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, both she and Carlin were arrested.
The pair of them claimed that the reason they were there was to use the cash machine.
The detective told the court however, that neither of them had a bank card, but that Carlin is alleged to have had in his possession a crowbar, a screwdriver, a hammer, and a pair of black gloves.
Arrested and interviewed, Carlin claimed that having gone to use the cash machine, he could see people close to the ATM but when the police arrived, they had left so he was the one arrested.
“He denied touching the tools or the door,” the officer told the court, adding that the woman was released on police bail.
Turning to objections in relation to Carlin being granted bail, the investigator revealed that the 51-year-old accused has a record of 251 previous convictions, including multiple entries for theft, burglary, robbery, handling stolen goods and drugs.
He further revealed that until his arrest, Carlin had been on police bail pending further enquiries in relation to another ATM attempted theft last month.
A defence lawyer highlighted that while Carlin had amassed that record he had been offence-free for the last eight years.
He argued that the latest case has “no direct evidence” against Carlin and that given the fact forensic testing while take many months, the defendant could be granted bail with a package of stringent conditions.
Commenting that the criminal record “is something shocking,” district judge George Conner said that there was “just too high a risk of further offending” so he refused to grant him bail.
Carlin was remanded in custody and the case adjourned until Tuesday, August 11.