A District Judge told an Enniskillen man that he considered him to be at a “high risk of reoffending” as he denied an application for bail at Fermanagh Magistrates court this week. Judge Michael Ranahan told 22 year old Mark Sheridan, who was appearing via video link, that he didn’t believe the defendant would “comply with any bail conditions.”

Sheridan has been in custody since June of this year after he was arrested following an incident that saw him climb a roof of a building on Belmore Street and cause £3,000 worth of damage. The defendant is alleged to have ripped roof tiles off the building and proceeded to throw them down to the street below. The court also heard that the street had to be closed off with ambulances and police called with he estimated cost to services put at £4,000.

Sheridan is charged with a litany of offences ranging over a number of dates and incidents. He qualified for a bail application after the prosecution service stated that there was no decision on his file as statements were still being received. Judge Ranahan stated that this further delay satisfied him that a bail hearing should be granted.

A police officer told the court that Sheridan was a “prolific offender” who was “likely to interfere with witnesses”. The court was also told that the defendant has “refused all offers of help” and that he had 15 previous breaches of bail between 2011 and 2014 and seven previous breaches of probation. It was also revealed that Sheridan had failed one of two drug tests that he has taken since being in custody.

Defending barrister, Ciaran Roddy, told the court that he was not going to deny that the facts of the case were “unsavoury” but that it had been four years since there had been any breach of bail conditions and these all related to when the defendant was a minor.

He went on to point out a reference that had been given to the court from a staff member at Maghaberry prison that stated that Sheridan was making use of his time in custody and that he had achieved an NVQ in Waste Management.

Mr Roddy also told the court that the alleged injured party in some of the charges relating to Sheridan, Elaine Crozier, had in fact made a withdrawal statement to police and had visited the defendant sometimes twice weekly.

Mr Roddy concluded by saying that his client was prepared to accept the most stringent of bail conditions and that he understood any breach would land him back in prison.

Judge Ranahan told Sheridan that he believed he would try to interfere with witnesses and that with his history of non-compliance and offending that bail was denied.

Relating to the incident in Belmore street Sheridan is charged with the criminal damage of roof tiles belonging to a person yet to be identified, possessing an offensive weapon, namely a roof tile, in a public place, using disorderly behaviour in Belmore Street and damaging a telephone belonging to the PSNI.

Meanwhile, the defendant is also facing a total of four further charges in relation to two other alleged incidents earlier this year.

The 22-year-old is charged with using a motor vehicle without insurance at Ashdale, Enniskillen and driving while disqualified on March 10, 2018.

He is further charged with burglary with intent to cause unlawful damage at a flat in Belmore Street on May 20, 2018, as well as unlawfully assaulting a female on the same date.