Bail for man after criminal damage case kept in lower courts

Decision to send 22 year old to court of general gaol reversed

A court’s reversed a decision to send a criminal damage case to the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

Twenty-two-year-old Callum Michael O’Connor, of Bucks Road in Douglas, appeared before magistrates at Douglas courthouse.

He's denied causing £12,000 of criminal damage to walls in his home between January 2020 and January this year.

Prosecutor Roger Kane said an earlier hearing had decided to commit him to the higher court but the circumstances of the case had changed.

Mr Kane said a compensation claim for the £12,000 had been due to be considered so the case couldn't be heard in the summary courts because the maximum claim that could be considered there was £5,000.

But he explained the insurance claim had already been paid out meaning prosecutors wouldn't be seeking compensation.

Magistrates agreed to keep the case in the lower courts.

Mr O'Connor was bailed in the sum of £500 to appear at a pre-trial review hearing on 16 September.