BAIL HEARING FOR OMAGH ACCUSED ADJOURNED AT DEFENCE REQUEST
Bail hearing for Omagh accused adjourned at defence request
A SOLICITOR acting for the South Armagh man due to be charged with the murders of 29 people at Omagh, in August 1998, had a planned bail hearing for the defendant adjourned when it came before Belfast High Court on Tuesday.
An application for bail was due to be heard in the case of Sean Gerard Hoey, 35, from Jonesborough, South Armagh, in respect of 20 charges relating to the possession of explosives.
ADJOURNMENT
However, his solicitor, Martin O'Rourke applied for an adjournment in the light of a raft of press reports which suggested that his client was to be charged with bombing Omagh and murdering 29 people.
He told the court that he had been aware by the Crown that there were plans to serve Preliminary Enquiry papers on the defendant before next Thursday and that the enquiry itself would take place within a week.
A Crown prosecutor confirmed that the police had received directions from the DPP, on April 19, that murder charges would be considered by a magistrate at a PE hearing.
The defence solicitor said he had been advised by the Crown that the PE papers would contain additional forensic reports relating to evidence against the defendant.
He said that, in the light of such developments, he was seeking an adjournment to see the full extent of the evidence against his client.
He added that he had been given limited access to some of the forensic reports. The High Court agreed to the adjournment generally but required notice if the application for bail was to be renewed.
A SOLICITOR acting for the South Armagh man due to be charged with the murders of 29 people at Omagh, in August 1998, had a planned bail hearing for the defendant adjourned when it came before Belfast High Court on Tuesday.
An application for bail was due to be heard in the case of Sean Gerard Hoey, 35, from Jonesborough, South Armagh, in respect of 20 charges relating to the possession of explosives.
ADJOURNMENT
However, his solicitor, Martin O'Rourke applied for an adjournment in the light of a raft of press reports which suggested that his client was to be charged with bombing Omagh and murdering 29 people.
He told the court that he had been aware by the Crown that there were plans to serve Preliminary Enquiry papers on the defendant before next Thursday and that the enquiry itself would take place within a week.
A Crown prosecutor confirmed that the police had received directions from the DPP, on April 19, that murder charges would be considered by a magistrate at a PE hearing.
The defence solicitor said he had been advised by the Crown that the PE papers would contain additional forensic reports relating to evidence against the defendant.
He said that, in the light of such developments, he was seeking an adjournment to see the full extent of the evidence against his client.
He added that he had been given limited access to some of the forensic reports. The High Court agreed to the adjournment generally but required notice if the application for bail was to be renewed.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1805
Published Date: 12-May-05
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