Man who was released from prison last Friday appears before court on a series of charges

A man who was released from prison last Friday has appeared at Derry Magistrate's Court today on charges that were said to have occurred on October 3.

Jordan Leighton (23) of Beech Hill View in Drumahoe outside Derry appeared facing charges of attempted burglary, possessing a blade in a public place, going equipped for theft and possessing drugs on October 3.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail. 

The court heard that police were called to Inch View in Derry and told a man had been trying door handles and car handles in the area.

Police stopped Leighton and he was said to have 23 tablets and a knife on him. 

A blue residue was also seen on his hands and police believed it came from plastic gloves. 

A pair of gloves was found nearby. 

The defendant said he had taken more than 30 tablets. 

The next day police received more reports of cars and vehicles that had been interfered with and CCTV showed someone matching the defendant's description climbing over a garden fence.

Another report was made to police of a man finding all the doors in his car left lying openand a male matching Leighton's description being seen nearby.

The police officer said that it was believed Leighton had bought 100 tablets and consumed 73 of them and such was his condition it was 40 hours before he could be interviewed. 

The court heard that the defendant had no recollection of the events and had 50 previous convictions. 

Bail was opposed due to the fact the defendant had re-offended within four days of his release from prison.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley asked the court to take a chance with bail with appropriate conditions. 

District Judge Barney McElholm said that the defendant's recent record was almost exclusively these sort of offences.

He refused bail and remanded Leighton in custody to appear again on November 2.