A TEENAGER accused of breaking into homes across the Hunter in the dead of night to steal cars during a two-month period earlier this year has been refused bail, despite a magistrate lamenting the "totally unacceptable" delays in the case.
Queensland's Daniel Kirkland, 18, was arrested in Waratah in March and charged with break-ins at Merewether, New Lambton Heights, Cameron Park, Eleebana, Valentine and Hamlyn Terrace, part of a "concerning" surge this year in teenagers committing break-ins or home invasions to steal vehicles which included the alleged stabbing of Daniel Lowe at Merewether earlier this week.
Mr Kirkland, who has been behind bars since his arrest, has not entered any pleas to 22 charges, including five counts of aggravated break and enter and intentionally damaging property by fire.
And on Friday, his solicitor Claire Coelho made an application to have him released on conditional bail due to the delays in detectives serving the brief of evidence.
According to police, Mr Kirkland broke into a home at New Lambton Heights in the early hours of January 31 this year and stole a Mitsubishi Outlander.
On February 8, he is accused of stealing a Landrover Discovery from a house at Merewether and a BMW from a home at New Lambton Heights.
Two nights later he allegedly broke into a home at Cameron Park and stole a Honda Civic and then in March he allegedly broke into homes at Eleebana and Valentine.
In the early hours of March 7 this year he allegedly broke into a number of homes in Hamlyn Terrace and stole a Yamaha motorcycle and a Hyundai sedan.
At 4.13am that morning he is accused of torching the Hyundai and he was arrested by police after a foot pursuit in Acacia Avenue, Waratah West about 6am.
He was later allegedly found with housebreaking implements, keys for four cars, a garage door remote, two sets of house keys and a watch, all items which police allege were stolen during break-ins.
As part of an application to have Mr Kirkland released on conditional bail, Ms Coelho said she was still awaiting the rest of the brief of evidence and, so far, forensic analysis had not provided any matches to Mr Kirkland.
She said Mr Kirkland was an 18-year-old Indigenous man with no prior criminal history who could be released on bail to live with his mother in Queensland.
Magistrate Janine Lacy said while the delays in serving the brief were "totally unacceptable", the case against Mr Kirkland on the majority of the charges appeared strong and if convicted he would undoubtedly be sentenced to a period of imprisonment.
Ms Lacy said she had concerns about bailing him to live in Queensland, where he could not be subjected to curfew or reporting to police, and refused bail.
Mr Kirkland will next appear in court next week.
