Police forced entry to house of man accused of breaching court orders, Magherafelt district judge hears

Dean Booth, aged 29, from Riverside Gardens in Castledawson, was released on bail when he appeared at Magherafelt Magistrates Court.

Booth is charged with criminal damage of an ankle tag belonging to G4, breach of a non molestation order, and breach of a restraining order between October 11-12.

A police sergeant told the court that he could connect Booth to the charges.

Outlining the alleged breaches, the officer said Booth had made calls to his son in which he made threatening and abusive comments about his former partner and the boy’s mother.

He said this had left the complainant frightened and terrified of what the accused might do given the history of domestic abuse between them.

The officer pointed out that Booth was subject of a non molestation order and a restraining order and was also on bail conditions as well.

Continuing, he said police later called at his address and made a forced entry. Booth was not present but police found an ankle tag in the house which appeared to have been cut.

He added that police later located and arrested Booth at his parents’ address on October 14.

The sergeant said Booth told police that he had a mental health episode because he had not received his medication.

The officer said the accused did not remember making the call to his son and did not know how the tag had come off his ankle.

He said the defendant has 85 previous convictions and police would be opposed to the court granting him bail given there was a risk of reoffending.

A defence lawyer handed in a letter to the court from Booth’s GP.

He claimed Booth had had a psychotic episode because he did not get his medication.

The lawyer said he had an address outside Magherafelt to go to and urged the court to grant him bail.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan imposed a number of conditions and released Booth on bail to appear again in court on November 12.