Farmer accused of shooting neighbour to be allowed to return home for lambing and milk duties

Paul Baxter, 41, is currently on bail charged with attempting to murder the other man who sustained buckshot wounds on land between their houses in Glenarm, Co Antrim.

Mr Justice McAlinden agreed to lift a prohibition on the accused entering the village so that he can fulfil lambing and milk run duties. “The defendant needs to be given the opportunity to look after his farm and his livestock,” the judge said.

Baxter, of Feystown Road in Glenarm, also faces a charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life during the incident on November 25 last year.

The court heard he made the first 999 call, claiming that the victim was out shooting close to his land.

Police were informed there had been a year-long neighbourhood dispute between the pair. Minutes later, however, the alleged victim’s wife phoned to report he was bleeding from gunshot wounds to his side and leg.

In a subsequent statement that man claimed he was “100 percent certain” that Baxter shot him close to their homes. He allegedly saw the defendant standing up to 40 metres away, holding a double-barrelled shotgun and calling him a “peasant”.

Following medical treatment he was discharged from hospital after doctors established that any pellets would be naturally discharged from the wounds.

Police searched Baxter’s 28-acre farm, recovering no guns but seizing CCTV systems installed at both of the neighboring properties.

Prosecution counsel Sarah Minford contended that the footage showed the defendant walking from his home to an area behind hedges.

“Two shots can be heard, there is a flash and the injured party can be seen hobbling and inspecting his injuries,” she said. “Police (also) located a small metal ball, believed to be buckshot from a cartridge, embedded in the rear of one of his Crocs (sandles).”

Baxter denies any involvement in the alleged shooting, telling police he would have been tending to his animals at the time.

Opposing the application to vary his bail conditions, Ms Minford argued it would not be safe to let him return home.

“Both parties live right beside each other… there is no way to manage this behaviour which has escalated into a charge of attempted murder,” she submitted.

Defence counsel insisted there is no evidence that Baxter kept any firearms. He told the court the accused is currently unable to carry out farming duties because of the prohibition on being in Glenarm.

Granting the application, Mr Justice McAlinden expressed some concerns about the circumstances surrounding the alleged shooting.

“There’s a lot more to it than meets the eye,” he suggested. “I propose to amend the bail conditions to allow (Baxter) to reside at Feystown Road, Glenarm to engage in all legitimate farming activities.”

He banned the defendant from any contact with the alleged victim and ordered him to wear a recording camera when at work outside his home.

The judge explained: “It’s for his own protection and the protection of others that he has the body cam… police are entitled to seek access to that equipment and view recordings stored on it.”