HISTORY IS MADE WITH OMAGH TRIAL VIDEO LINK FROM DUBLIN
History is made with Omagh trial video-link from Dublin
BY DEBORAH MCALEESE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
dmcaleese@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
LEGAL history was made yesterday when Dublin's Special Criminal Court sat in Belfast to part hear the retrial of Omagh bomb accused Colm Murphy via a live video-link.
As the Dublin court, its judges and lawyers were screened live into the Belfast courtroom, for the first time lawyers sitting in a court in the Republic were able to directly question witnesses giving evidence in a court in Northern Ireland.
Courts in Northern ireland have in the past heard and collected evidence from their Southern counterparts, but this is the first time lawyers in the Republic have been able to question witnesses giving evidence in a court here.
Murphy, the only man convicted in connection with the Real IRA atrocity in which 29 people died, was not visible on the linkup, which was organised to facilitate witnesses unable to travel to Dublin.
Tough questioning of witnesses via video-link will always prove difficult, but the only evidence Senior Counsel Tom O'Connell in Dublin was able to extract from the first witness of the day, Co Armagh farmer Patrick Morgan, was that he had a headache.
Appearing nervous and agitated, Mr Morgan shook uncontrollably as he was quizzed in the dock via the video-link and answered almost every question with: "I can't remember."
When asked if he knew Colm Murphy, who faces a charge of conspiracy to cause an explosion between August 13 and 16,1998, he answered: "I vaguely remember him."
Mr Morgan was then asked if he remembered being arrested by RUC officers in February 1999 and making a statement, to which he replied: "I can't remember." When asked if he had read the statement he said: "I can't read."
Retired RUC Detective Chief Superintendent Hamilton Houston, who headed the police investigation into the bombing, told the court that his team of 70 officers interviewed over 2,500 people.
He said that 53 suspects were arrested as part of the investigation into the 1998 bombing in the Co Tyrone town.
Mr Houston agreed that when he headed up the investigation there had been clear cross-border co-operation between the RUC and An Garda Siochana in regards to investigating various offences being committed by paramilitary groups north and south of the border.
He added that he could recall that on the day of the bombing three warnings had been communicated to the RUC.
A brief questioning of a second RUC man, Constable Leslie Gardner, about his role in the collection of evidence during another bombing in Banbridge brought the historical proceedings, which lasted less than an hour, to an undramatic end.
With a wave of his hand towards the screen in Dublin, SC Tom O'Connell said: "Finish with Belfast." And Belfast was dismissed.
BY DEBORAH MCALEESE
CRIME CORRESPONDENT
dmcaleese@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
LEGAL history was made yesterday when Dublin's Special Criminal Court sat in Belfast to part hear the retrial of Omagh bomb accused Colm Murphy via a live video-link.
As the Dublin court, its judges and lawyers were screened live into the Belfast courtroom, for the first time lawyers sitting in a court in the Republic were able to directly question witnesses giving evidence in a court in Northern Ireland.
Courts in Northern ireland have in the past heard and collected evidence from their Southern counterparts, but this is the first time lawyers in the Republic have been able to question witnesses giving evidence in a court here.
Murphy, the only man convicted in connection with the Real IRA atrocity in which 29 people died, was not visible on the linkup, which was organised to facilitate witnesses unable to travel to Dublin.
Tough questioning of witnesses via video-link will always prove difficult, but the only evidence Senior Counsel Tom O'Connell in Dublin was able to extract from the first witness of the day, Co Armagh farmer Patrick Morgan, was that he had a headache.
Appearing nervous and agitated, Mr Morgan shook uncontrollably as he was quizzed in the dock via the video-link and answered almost every question with: "I can't remember."
When asked if he knew Colm Murphy, who faces a charge of conspiracy to cause an explosion between August 13 and 16,1998, he answered: "I vaguely remember him."
Mr Morgan was then asked if he remembered being arrested by RUC officers in February 1999 and making a statement, to which he replied: "I can't remember." When asked if he had read the statement he said: "I can't read."
Retired RUC Detective Chief Superintendent Hamilton Houston, who headed the police investigation into the bombing, told the court that his team of 70 officers interviewed over 2,500 people.
He said that 53 suspects were arrested as part of the investigation into the 1998 bombing in the Co Tyrone town.
Mr Houston agreed that when he headed up the investigation there had been clear cross-border co-operation between the RUC and An Garda Siochana in regards to investigating various offences being committed by paramilitary groups north and south of the border.
He added that he could recall that on the day of the bombing three warnings had been communicated to the RUC.
A brief questioning of a second RUC man, Constable Leslie Gardner, about his role in the collection of evidence during another bombing in Banbridge brought the historical proceedings, which lasted less than an hour, to an undramatic end.
With a wave of his hand towards the screen in Dublin, SC Tom O'Connell said: "Finish with Belfast." And Belfast was dismissed.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/1180
Published Date: 21-Jan-10
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