OMAGH TRIAL IN VIDEO LINK TO TOWN
Omagh trial in video link to town
Bomb suspect's case to be beamed live on screen
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
THE trial of Omagh bomb suspect Sean Hoey - the biggest mass murder trial in British legal history - is to be beamed live into the Tyrone town, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.
Following a historic court decision this week, relatives of those killed in the 1998 Real IRA massacre will now be able to watch proceedings on a large screen, rather than having to travel to Belfast every day.
Sean Hoey is due to go on trial tomorrow. He will face 29 murder charges as well as multiple terrorist offences.
There has been speculation that the beginning of the trial could be delayed, but yesterday a defence application was rejected by the judge and it is now expected to proceed.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the atrocity, asked Belfast Crown Court if a live video link could be established between the court and a location in Omagh.
Trial judge Mr Justice Weir permitted the application as long as a suitable location can be found in the town.
Mr Gallagher told the Belfast Telegraph: "This is so a large number of people in Omagh do not have to travel the long distance back and forward each day.
That would be a terrible burden for them both financially and emotionally.
"It is important that the families have the opportunity to see everything which happens in court; there will be a tremendous amount of interest in some of the expert witness evidence as well as the forensic evidence.
"The Court Service will now have to set this up as quickly as possible. They will be looking at venues in the town, it could possibly be located in the library.
"This will also be of tremendous educational interest, there will be schools and students who will want to study what is happening in court. This will be the biggest criminal trial ever in Ireland and it is proper that as many people as possible should be given the chance to see the proceedings.
"It should be a relatively simple thing to set up. It just needs to have a large screen and a link which can beam pictures and sound to it."
The link will not be in place for the expected start of the trial this week.
Unemployed electrician Sean Gerard Hoey (36), from Molly Road, Jonesborough, faces 29 murder charges as well as 25 explosive offences and seven charges of conspiring to murder members of the security forces, all relating to the Omagh blast in August 1998.
Relatives of several Omagh victims are expected to attend the beginning of Hoey's trial.
Bomb suspect's case to be beamed live on screen
BY JONATHAN McCAMBRIDGE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
THE trial of Omagh bomb suspect Sean Hoey - the biggest mass murder trial in British legal history - is to be beamed live into the Tyrone town, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal today.
Following a historic court decision this week, relatives of those killed in the 1998 Real IRA massacre will now be able to watch proceedings on a large screen, rather than having to travel to Belfast every day.
Sean Hoey is due to go on trial tomorrow. He will face 29 murder charges as well as multiple terrorist offences.
There has been speculation that the beginning of the trial could be delayed, but yesterday a defence application was rejected by the judge and it is now expected to proceed.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the atrocity, asked Belfast Crown Court if a live video link could be established between the court and a location in Omagh.
Trial judge Mr Justice Weir permitted the application as long as a suitable location can be found in the town.
Mr Gallagher told the Belfast Telegraph: "This is so a large number of people in Omagh do not have to travel the long distance back and forward each day.
That would be a terrible burden for them both financially and emotionally.
"It is important that the families have the opportunity to see everything which happens in court; there will be a tremendous amount of interest in some of the expert witness evidence as well as the forensic evidence.
"The Court Service will now have to set this up as quickly as possible. They will be looking at venues in the town, it could possibly be located in the library.
"This will also be of tremendous educational interest, there will be schools and students who will want to study what is happening in court. This will be the biggest criminal trial ever in Ireland and it is proper that as many people as possible should be given the chance to see the proceedings.
"It should be a relatively simple thing to set up. It just needs to have a large screen and a link which can beam pictures and sound to it."
The link will not be in place for the expected start of the trial this week.
Unemployed electrician Sean Gerard Hoey (36), from Molly Road, Jonesborough, faces 29 murder charges as well as 25 explosive offences and seven charges of conspiring to murder members of the security forces, all relating to the Omagh blast in August 1998.
Relatives of several Omagh victims are expected to attend the beginning of Hoey's trial.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1012
Published Date: 05-Sep-06
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