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Larne man 'with UVF links' appears in court on charges linked to 'feud'

Stephen Lynch arriving at court
Stephen Lynch arriving at court Stephen Lynch arriving at court

POLICE have a real fear that "lives will be lost" in an ongoing feud in Larne, a court heard today.

The claim was made by police as 35-year-old Stephen Paul Lynch appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court charged with an arson attack last Sunday.

Objecting to his release on bail, a detective constable claimed the father-of-two was "involved in the UVF" and revealed that police had "real fears that if released lives will be lost."

Standing in the dock wearing a grey T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, factory worker Lynch confirmed that he understood the four charges against him.

Lynch, from Shanlea Drive in Larne, is charged with committing arson with intent to endanger the lives of Bill Russell and Gillian Burnett at a house on the Killyglen Road in the harbour town, wasting police time by making a false report, intimidation of Ms Burnett and two children and making a threat to kill Mr Russell.

All the offences are alleged to have occurred on Sunday April 23.

He is the second man with alleged links to the UVF in Larne to appear in court this week after Alan Cowan (41) was granted bail at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday accused of having a butterfly knife and an extendable baton.

The charges arose after Lynch's silver Peugeot 206 was driven into the house and then set on fire causing significant damage to the property and gutting the car in what has been described as an "ongoing feud" in Larne.

Lodging what turned out to be an unsuccessful bail application, defence barrister Neil Moore revealed that Lynch accepted using his own car in the arson attack but denied intimidation and making threats to kill, conceding that he faces the prospect of an "undoubted" jail sentence.

A police officer, who objected to bail, said she believed she could connect Lynch, who works at Caterpillar, to the charges.

She outlined to the court that Sunday's incident was the culmination of a "catalogue of incidents" involving Mr Russell who claims he saw Lynch and other men close to his property in the days leading up to the arson attack when they allegedly made hand gestures suggesting the firing of a gun.

Lynch himself is alleged to have threatened him "you're f****** dead Russell."

In relation to the incident on Sunday the officer told the court police had seized CCTV footage which showed Lynch "driving his car into the front of the property" and then getting out before setting fire to his own jacket and placing it in the front passenger footwell.

Five minutes after police received a call about the fire, Lynch called police to report his car had been stolen, she told the court.

The officer told the court Lynch is likely to face separate charges at Antrim Area Hospital when he allegedly assaulted two police officers and had to be subdued using CS spray.

The detective conceded police had "no evidence" to link Lynch, who has also been warned about threats to his life, to any other arson attack.

A lawyer revealed the feud was between two men and Lynch is linked to one of them by marriage. 

He further revealed that Lynch's wife has lost her job as a result of the feud and has left Larne because of the threat.

Deputy District Judge Peter Prenter refused bail on the grounds of the risk of further offending and the potential of interfering with witnesses. He is due to appear before Ballymena Magistrates Court on May 18 via videolink.