JUDGEMENT RESERVED IN OMAGH BOMBING TRIAL
Judgement reserved in omagh bombing trial
JUDGMENT on Sean Gerard Hoey, the man accused of the Omagh bombing, was yesterday reserved by the
trial judge who said he had a "great deal to think about".
Following his 56-day trial Hoey now faces judgment on a total of 56 charges including 29 counts of murder relating to the Omagh bomb.
Hoey, a 37-year-old electrician from Molly Road, Jonesborough in south Armagh, denies the charges.
Reserving his judgment at Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice Weir, in thanking lawyers on both sides, said that he would give it "as soon as possible".
"I have a great deal to think about and a great deal of material to look at again," the judge said.
Earlier Orlando Pownall QC, defending, completed his submissions claiming that "the only proper verdicts are verdicts of not guilty on each of the remaining counts".
The London-based lawyer also claimed that: "Having identified the various hurdles confronting the Crown case, and indeed confronting My Lord in your assessment of the evidence at each and every stage, whether it be integrity, whether it be validation, whether it be reliability, whether it be the issue of corroboration or the identity of the individuals, the Crown case falls below the standard required before it would be safe and appropriate to convict."
Gordon Kerr QC, prosecuting, for his part, made no further legal submissions.
In addition to the murders of 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins in the Omagh blast on August 15 1998 Hoey is accused of causing the explosion and to possessing explosives.
The other charges include five murder conspiracies at Dungannon, Crossmaglen, Forkhill, Bel-leek and Newry between 1998 and 2001.
He is also accused of causing mortar-bomb explosions at Crossmaglen, Forkhill, Belleek and Newry RUC station, and with causing explosions at Finaghy railway station.
Hoey is further charged with causing explosions at Blackwaterstown Road, Armagh, Market Street, Lisburn, and Newry courthouse.
JUDGMENT on Sean Gerard Hoey, the man accused of the Omagh bombing, was yesterday reserved by the
trial judge who said he had a "great deal to think about".
Following his 56-day trial Hoey now faces judgment on a total of 56 charges including 29 counts of murder relating to the Omagh bomb.
Hoey, a 37-year-old electrician from Molly Road, Jonesborough in south Armagh, denies the charges.
Reserving his judgment at Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice Weir, in thanking lawyers on both sides, said that he would give it "as soon as possible".
"I have a great deal to think about and a great deal of material to look at again," the judge said.
Earlier Orlando Pownall QC, defending, completed his submissions claiming that "the only proper verdicts are verdicts of not guilty on each of the remaining counts".
The London-based lawyer also claimed that: "Having identified the various hurdles confronting the Crown case, and indeed confronting My Lord in your assessment of the evidence at each and every stage, whether it be integrity, whether it be validation, whether it be reliability, whether it be the issue of corroboration or the identity of the individuals, the Crown case falls below the standard required before it would be safe and appropriate to convict."
Gordon Kerr QC, prosecuting, for his part, made no further legal submissions.
In addition to the murders of 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins in the Omagh blast on August 15 1998 Hoey is accused of causing the explosion and to possessing explosives.
The other charges include five murder conspiracies at Dungannon, Crossmaglen, Forkhill, Bel-leek and Newry between 1998 and 2001.
He is also accused of causing mortar-bomb explosions at Crossmaglen, Forkhill, Belleek and Newry RUC station, and with causing explosions at Finaghy railway station.
Hoey is further charged with causing explosions at Blackwaterstown Road, Armagh, Market Street, Lisburn, and Newry courthouse.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0832
Published Date: 18-Jan-07
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