Derry man says dog running away led to bail curfew breach

Ryan Kelly (36) of Epworth Street in Derry was charged with breaching his curfew on March 2 by not being at his address.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that the defendant’s dog, Roxy, had run away and he had gone onto look for it.

A police officer said that police had returned to the address at 2.50am and there had been no answer.

Judge McElholm said he wanted to know how the dog managed to open the door. He said if Kelly had called the police and said ‘my dog ran away’ they probably would not have been too concerned. Ordering the curfew to be earlier at 8pm Judge McElholm said Kelly had to learn like the ‘man in the bunker in Moscow will hopefully learn, all actions have consequences’.

Kelly was re-released on bail and will appear again on April 25.