A man who was released on bail on May 18 has been remanded back in custody after he breached his conditions just days after his release.

A police officer told Enniskillen Magistrates Court, meeting on Monday, that at around 2.30am on May 20, a report was received from an injured party that Matthew Acheson (18), of Spout Walk, Fivemiletown, had taken his car without permission.

The injured party said Acheson – who was facing charges of arson, assault on police, theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm for unrelated matters – had arrived at his house at around 8.30pm. He went to sleep at 1.30am, leaving Acheson asleep in the house.

At 2am, he was awakened by a phone call from Acheson who said he had taken his vehicle and was in Belfast. Acheson apologised to the victim saying he could not go back to prison.

The injured party told police he had not given Acheson permission to take his vehicle. An extensive search took place, but Acheson could not be located.

Later on, a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Letter Road, Kesh, was made and police discovered two males in the vehicle. Acheson was in the driver's seat.

He made off into a wooded area before being located by police and taken to Omagh Police Station.

The court heard police were objecting to Acheson being released on bail.

Ciaran Roddy, Acheson's barrister, said it was hard to disagree with anything he had heard, and he accepted Acheson had developed quite a record while on bail. 

Mr. Roddy told the court that his client had served more than 10 months in prison on other matters, and if they had been dealt with on May 9, Acheson would have been looking at time served.

He accepted that Acheson's behaviour on bail was "appalling", but argued that the new charges of taking a motor vehicle without authority, having no insurance, no driving licence, theft and criminal damage may not proceed entirely as charged.

He asked for Acheson to be released on stringent bail conditions and if he breached them he would be back before the court on Wednesday, and would show he was completely unmanageable on bail.

However, District Judge Steven Keown said it had got to the point where Acheson was completely unmanageable, and bail was refused.

The case was adjourned until June 6.