A TEENAGER suspected of being a member of a cross-border criminal gang allegedly responsible for a series of incidents in Fermanagh, Tyrone and Londonderry since the start of May has been refused bail for the third time.

Terry Ward (18), of Station Road, Ballyshannon, is charged with stealing items including shopping baskets, washing powder, whiskey and vodka from Supervalu in Omagh, Centra in Ballinamallard, Costcutters in Kesh and the Palm Bush filling station, also in Kesh, on July 28 this year.

Ward is further charged with the attempted theft of a shopping basket and going equipped for theft with a shopping basket.

The defendant has been serving time on remand in Hydebank Young Offenders Centre since his arrest on the night of the alleged incidents.

He was previously refused bail at a special sitting of Omagh Magistrates Court on July 30 and then again at the High Court in Belfast on August 5.

Appearing before Fermanagh Magistrates Court on Monday, via videolink from Hydebank, his defence counsel, Ciaran Roddy, made a fresh application for bail because of delays in the case.

Objecting to bail, a PSNI officer outlined the background of the alleged offences.

The officer told the court that, at 8.15pm on July 28, police were tasked to Omagh Supervalu after receiving a report that a number of males had filled three shopping baskets with bottles of vodka.

Staff had challenged the men and were able to retain one of the baskets, but they fled the scene with the rest of the items and drove off in a black Volkswagen.

Further thefts, all alleged to have involved men travelling in a black Volkswagen, were reported on the same night at shops in Ballinamallard and Kesh.

The police officer told the court that the defendant was subsequently apprehended later that night in Belcoo. The other suspects, yet to be identified by the PSNI, made off across the border.

Police believe that Ward is part of a cross-border criminal gang responsible for some 49 alleged incidents in counties Fermanagh, Tyrone and Londonderry since May 1 this year, the officer told the court.

He said the total value in relation to all these offences was around £8,000.

CCTV footage was available in 40 of the incidents and the PSNI have completed viewing 27 of these. The officer said that the CCTV images will then be shared with their colleagues in An Garda Siochana.

He added that the PSNI were seeking the assistance of their Southern counterparts in identifying the other suspects.

Applying for bail, Mr Roddy told the court that his client had been in custody since July 28 and had already served in excess of the equivalent of a three-month prison term.

The barrister said that the teenager accepted his role in connection with the alleged thefts on July 28 and argued that he did not pose a flight risk.

Mr Roddy said the defendant had a bail address available in Spamount, county Tyrone and his parents were willing to put up a cash surety.

He said that Ward was a father-of-two with a “limited” previous record and his primary concern was getting out of custody to help his young family.

District judge, Nigel Broderick, observed that he was satisfied there was an “ongoing and complex” investigation in the case and that the matter was receiving close attention and being expedited.

Due to the risk of the defendant not turning up for trial and also the risk of further offences, the judge refused the bail application and remanded him in custody.

However, the judge added that, given the defence had indicated that Ward would be pleading guilty to these offences, perhaps the file on him could be expedited.

Mr Broderick then adjourned the case until Monday, September 26.