CRANE DRIVER ACCUSED OF HIJACK CRIME SPREE

Lawyer links ‘breakdown’ to Covid

A CRANE driver allegedly hijacked a car as part of a three-day crime spree, a court heard yesterday.

Darren Clarke is charged with the “opportunistic” seizure of a Volkswagen Golf outside at shop at Kingsway in Dunmurry on the outskirts of Belfast.

The 40-year-old is further accused of involvement in break-ins at two houses in Crumlin, Co Antrim.

The alleged offences were committed on dates between December 13 and 15.

Clarke, with a previous hostel address on University Street in Belfast, faces charges including hijacking, burglary, going equipped for theft and assault on police. The city’s Magistrates Court heard the car was taken while the owner had stopped outside a convenience store.

A day later two properties at Weavers Meadow in Crumlin were raided, with car keys and bottles of beer and Prosecco stolen.

Police said a member of the public subsequently challenged the driver of a stolen Volkswagen Golf in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital.

The suspect fled the scene, but allegedly dropped a bank card and doctor’s letter with Darren Clarke’s name on it.

In January this year he was interviewed and released after denying involvement in the offences.

But a detective claimed Clarke is forensically linked to DNA found on the steering wheel of the stolen car and a Prosecco bottle. Defence for the accused said the victim of the alleged hijacking had been at the boot of his car with the engine running and that the seizure of the vehicle was “opportunistic.”

District Judge George Conner was told Clarke suffered a breakdown late last year.

His lawyer said: “He had been working as a crane driver in the construction business but it seems the Covid lockdown has been pretty difficult.”

Clarke was granted bail on conditions including a curfew and electronic monitoring.

It seems lockdown had been pretty difficult LAWYER FOR ALLEGED HIJACKER IN COURT