Man accused of Caledon nursery school burglary 'identified by CCTV footage', court told
A man with an address in Co Armagh said to have been identified by police from CCTV footage during a burglary at a Co Tyrone nursery school, was refused bail when he appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday, December 20.
John Joseph Myles Connors, aged 43, whose address was given as Simon Community, Edward Street, Portadown, is accused of entering as a trespasser nursery premises at Mill Row in Caledon, with intent to steal on December 2 last.
A detective constable told the court that he believed he could connect the accused to the charge.
In reply to defence counsel Blaine Nugent, the officer said Connors was identified by a police officer from CCTV footage inside the nursery.
The officer said the burglary took place before or after midnight and that four males were in the footage wearing masks.
The officer said police would oppose bail as there was a likelihood of further offending and because the accused has a history of breaching bail and court orders.
Applying for bail, Mr Nugent said Connors was entitled to the presumption of innocence and stressed the evidence against him was “extremely tenuous”.
He said the accused believes it is a case of mistaken identity.
Refusing the application, Deputy District Judge Philip Mateer KC remarked that those points could be made in the fullness of time.
He remanded Connors into custody to appear again by video link at Dungannon Court on January 17.
Mr Nugent said that a bail application would be made in the High Court as soon as it was possible