A 30-year-old man has been refused bail at Fermanagh Magistrates Court just days after he had been released by the High Court.

Leeroy McDonagh with an address of Carnmore Lodge, Enniskillen, appeared in the dock on Monday after he was arrested on September 7 for the theft of a Lacoste jumper worth £80 from Sports Direct in Enniskillen.

An officer under oath told the court that she could connect McDonagh to the charges and was also objecting to an application of bail. The officer said the defendant had a considerable list of convictions and following his arrest for the theft of the jumper he was found to be in breach of his bail conditions, having consumed alcohol.

Having only been released on bail a number of days previously in the High Court by Mrs. Justice Keegan, the officer said she believed McDonagh was unable to keep to his bail conditions and pointed out that there were further breaches of bail in June and August.

Representing McDonagh, barrister Ciaran Roddy asked the officer if the jumper had been recovered. The officer told the court that when the officers went to McDonagh’s house there were a number of drunk people present and the house was not searched as they did not want to raise any tension with the people present. However there is CCTV and statements from the staff member and the officer who identified McDonagh from the footage. Mr. Roddy said that Justice Keegan was persuaded to release his client on bail due to the gap in offending and did not want a situation whereby McDonagh would spend a length of time in custody and it have a negative effect on him. He said she also wanted the court to have the sentencing power of probation and community service open to the court. He said McDonagh does require “therapeutic intervention” for his problems with alcohol and said if the court granted bail they could amend the conditions so that McDonagh could only consume in his own home which would cater for the addicition.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan was not persuaded however and said he was in no doubt that there a risk of re-offending and he had no confidence in McDonagh adhering to bail conditions.

In refusing bail he said McDonagh would be well aware of the process and can go to the high court to appeal. The case was adjourned until October 7.