A cocaine addict allegedly crashed into two police vehicles in a car stolen during a creeper-style burglary in north Belfast, a court heard today.
Pearce O’Neill is also accused of trying to break into two other homes as part of the same 48-hour crime spree.
The 24-year-old defendant was remanded into custody on 16 charges connected to weekend incidents which left a number of PSNI officers injured.
Belfast Magistrates Court heard O’Neill allegedly took the keys to a Toyota Yaris from a house at Brucevale Park in the early hours of Saturday.
Police tracked the stolen car across the city to the Monagh Bypass and Norglen Parade areas before it was brought to a halt.
An investigating detective said: “It was involved in collisions with two separate police vehicles, causing injuries to the drivers.”
O’Neill is also accused of targeting two other homes in Brucevale Court on the same night.
The defendant, believed to be from nearby Thorndale Avenue but with a current address at Carlisle Road in Derry, faces counts of burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, and two attempted burglaries.
He is further charged with dangerous driving, interfering with vehicles, failing to provide a specimen when driving unfit, failing to stop at an accident, handling stolen goods and theft of £120 cash from a vehicle.
Bail was opposed amid claims O’Neill could interfere with witnesses because he lived close to the scene of the crimes.
Citing the risk to the public, the detective added: “He is believed to have been under the influence of drugs and failed to give a sample when requested.”
Defence lawyer Owen Beattie described O’Neill as an extremely vulnerable individual who was previously in a coma due to a “catastrophic incident” two years ago.
“This is somebody who has a cocaine addiction, it’s something he’s up front about and that could be the genesis of a lot of the (alleged) offending in the case,” the solicitor said.
Mr Beattie also claimed CCTV evidence related to the burglary and theft charges is “far from conclusive”.
Refusing bail, however, District Judge Steven Keown said: “The vulnerability of homeowners and vehicle owners, and indeed police officers trying to respond to difficult situations, is the court’s priority.
“It is unfortunately, in my view, a hopeless application.”
O’Neill was remanded in custody until December 2.