Man to stand trial over jewellery thefts

Christopher McKinney appeared before the city’s Magistrates Court charged with targeting three properties on the same day.

The 34-year-old, of St Joseph’s Court in Crumlin, Co Antrim, faces two counts of burglary and a further attempted burglary with intent to steal.

He allegedly raided a house at Cherryvalley Gardens, stealing jewellery valued at £4,364, and tried to break into another residence on the same street.

McKinney is also accused of entering another house at Ormiston Drive, taking £1,459 worth of jewellery from it.

Two further charges of criminal damage to a kitchen window and a back door valued at £880 and £1,000 respectively were put to him as well.

All of the alleged offences occurred on January 12, 2016.

McKinney declined to give evidence or call witnesses during the preliminary enquiry hearing.

A prosecution lawyer submitted that he has a case to answer.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall granted her application to have the accused returned for Crown Court trial.

She remanded McKinney back into custody until those proceedings get under way on a date to be fixed.