Derry man charged with breaching non-molestation order remanded

A man has appeared at Derry Magistrates' Court charged with breaching his bail conditions by contacting someone who had non-molestation order against him.

Daryl O'Donnell (45) of Belvedere Park in Derry had been on bail since February on charges of harassment against his former partner. 

As part of his bail conditions he was to have no contact with the injured party but on March 20 she contacted police saying that she had been receiving messages from his phone number and another number that she didn't recognize on March 17.

O'Donnell denied the charges but accepted the messages were from his phone and said that, as far as he was aware, nobody else had any form of access to his phone and he hadn't told anyone to send the messages.

Police objected to bail as he has 38 previous convictions and they believe he is at high risk of reoffending.

District Judge Barney McElholm asked how were the messages sent if not by the defendant and said it was only a matter of time until someone claimed that a robot or AI had hacked their phone.

Defence solicitor Conor McGurk said that there was 'no explanation' as to how the messages had been sent.

Judge McElholm said he 'didn't believe a word' of the defendant's claims.

Bail was refused and O'Donnell was remanded in custody and will appear again on April 17.