Derry man charged with burglary, assault and assaulting police

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates' Court charged with burglary, assault and assaulting police.

Christopher O'Riley (34) of Clon Dara in Derry was charged with the offences that were said to have occurred on March 13 and March 22.

In relation to the burglary charges, he is co-accused with a man who had been remanded in custody on Friday.

Police were initially called on March 13 after the sister of O'Riley's co-accused noticed that her house had been broken in to, with a TV, cigarettes and an iPhone stolen.

She was then said to have gone to a friend's house and saw that a caravan that belonged to her father had it's sun roof ripped off and the TV had been ripped off the wall.

Inside, she claimed she found her brother and O'Riley and O'Riley hit her with the TV.

She gave a description to police of the man who had assaulted her, calling him Chrissy and telling police he had a tattoo on his neck.

The TV and cigarettes that had been stolen from her house were also found in the caravan, but the iPhone has yet to be located.

O'Riley was later arrested after a third party said that he had been with the woman's brother for a number of days.

While in police custody on March 22, a medical professional was sent to see him and while they were there O'Riley grabbed the arm of an officer, causing immediate pain.

Police objected to bail as he has 108 previous convictions, seventeen bench warrants and a very poor bail history and they believe he cannot be managed on bail.

Defence barrister Sean Doherty said that there has yet to be a definite identification of O'Riley, stating that he wasn't arrested at the scene and wasn't in possession of the stolen items at the time.

He said that the only connection was that the alleged injured party called him 'Chrissy' and he has a tattoo on his neck, adding that he is 'perhaps a victim of his own reputation'.

Bail was refused and he will appear again on April 16.