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Man appears in court seven years after alleged crime spree across Armagh

The 44-year-old failed to return to custody after he was granted temporary compassionate leave

A man alleged to have gone on a burglary spree across Co Armagh has appeared in the High Court seven years after the initial charges were put to him.

Edward McDonagh, 44, Townlui Manor in Drogheda, Co Louth, failed to return to custody after he was released on temporary compassionate leave to attend a family funeral in August 2010.

He was charged with a two-day crime spree which spanned counties Armagh and Tyrone the previous month.

He returned to Northern Ireland last week on a European Arrest Warrant after serving a separate sentence in the Republic of Ireland.

McDonagh denies the charges, which include six counts each of burglary and theft, interference with vehicles, handling stolen goods, and nine charges of criminal damage.

Defence, applying for bail, outlined mitigating circumstances around his original absconding, including the family bereavement and the fact he lost an eye in a serious assault in October 2010.

However, the judge denied McDonagh bail because of his behaviour seven years ago.

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