Car bomb accused refused bail

Sean McVeigh - who has been on remand since last May - is due to stand on trial on suspicion of attempting to murder an off-duty officer in Co Londonderry in June 2015.

From Victoria Street in Lurgan, the 37-year old faces an additional charge of possessing explosives - namely an under vehicle improvised explosive device - with intent to endanger life.

The charges relate to an incident at the home of a serving police officer, when a device was placed under a car parked in the driveway of the family property on June 18, 2015.

The accused is due to stand trial on the two charges in a non-jury hearing due to take place at Belfast Crown Court this August.

Dessie Hutton, the barrister representing McVeigh, asked that his client be released on bail. He told Judge Gordon Kerr QC that after the incident in Eglinton, his client was arrest in Donegal by An Garda Siochana, was “interviewed in respect of the alleged offences” and was then “released on report.”

Mr Hutton said McVeigh was then “at liberty for a year” and that during this time he was “living and working in the Republic of Ireland.” Telling the court McVeigh was then arrested by the PSNI last May during a visit to Northern Ireland, Mr Hutton said “he has been on remand ever since.”

Applying for bail, Mr Hutton spoke of the length of time it has taken to get a trial date and said a suitable bail address has been provided.

Opposing bail, a Crown prosecutor pointed out a trial date for August has now been set. Citing McVeigh’s alleged offending as “politically motivated”, the barrister also raised concerns of a flight risk.

After listening to submissions from both the Crown and defence, Judge Gordon Kerr said that while he accepted McVeigh has been in custody for a “considerable” period, this was not a case where there was no prospect of setting as trial date - as the hearing was now “seven to eight weeks away”.

The application for bail was refused and McVeigh was remanded back into custody.