Man's Bail Revoked Following Arrest in Belfast Garden

Man's Bail Revoked Following Arrest in Belfast Garden

A 38-year old man awaiting sentence for aggravated burglary had his bail revoked. The Crown's application to revoke Peter Szitai's bail was made on Wednesday, April 23, after he was arrested in the garden of a property in Belfast in suspicious circumstances earlier this month. Telling Judge Philip Gilpin this arrest occurred whilst Szitai was on bail awaiting sentence for a previous offence in September 2024, a Crown prosecutor said bail should be revoked on the grounds of Szitai's 'inability to refrain from committing further offences.'

Previous Offences and New Arrest

A defence barrister told Belfast Crown Court that the application to revoke Szitai's bail was being opposed. From Channing Street in Belfast, Szitai is due to be sentenced next month on a charge of aggravated burglary. The father-of-two accepted that on September 25, 2024 he entered a property at Loopland Park in Belfast and stole items including £100, a watch and a vacuum cleaner, and at the time of the offence, he had a knuckle duster.

Arrest Details

Whilst no details regarding this incident emerged during Wednesday's hearing, Crown barrister Natalie Pinkerton said it was 'nearly inevitable' that Szitai would receive 'an immediate custodial sentence' on May 20. Addressing Szitai's arrest earlier this month, Ms Pinkerton said that on the evening of April 9, police were called to a property in Belfast. She said Szitai was located by officers in a rear garden where he 'appeared to be distancing himself' from a number of items including a black backpack and gloves. The householder also found a mask in the garden, and Szitai was arrested on suspicion of going equipped for theft.

Defence Statements

Ms Pinkerton said Szitai denied committing any offence on April 9 and told police he had been chasing a man and ended up in the rear of a garden. It was also disclosed that Szitai has previous convictions both here and in his native Slovakia. Regarding the April 9 incident, defence barrister James Toal told Judge Gilpin his client was 'entitled to the presumption of innocence.' Mr Toal said Szitai had provided a full account to the PSNI and claimed that after seeing a man he knew cycling past his house, he gave chase.

Decision and Concerns

After listening to submissions from both the Crown and defence, Judge Gilpin accepted that whilst Szitai was entitled to the presumption of innocence regarding the events of April 9, he said 'what the court had been told about the matter is deeply concerning.' Branding Szitai's explanation about what happened as 'curious to say the least,' Judge Gilpin highlighted previous offending 'both here and elsewhere.' The hearing concluded when Judge Gilpin addressed Szitai in the dock and told him: 'This court has concerns about the risk of further offending to the extent that y