Northern Ireland

Dublin man in court charged with 2015 attempted murder of PSNI officer in Eglinton

Police and forensics at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton village. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Police and forensics at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton village. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Police and forensics at the scene where a bomb was found under the car of a serving PSNI officer in Eglinton village. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

A DUBLIN man has appeared in court charged with attempting to murder a police officer in a Co Derry village six years ago.

Ciaran Maguire today attended the hearing at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with Maghaberry, where he is currently on remand.

From Kippure Park in the Finglas area, 33-year old Mr Maguire nodded to confirm his identify, and was then charged with two offences linked to an incident at Eglinton.

The accused was charged with attempting to murder a member of the PSNI on June 18, 2015.

When the offence was put to Mr Maguire, he replied 'not guilty'. He also denied a second charge of possessing an under-vehicle improvised explosive device with intent to endanger life on the same date.

Both charges arise from an early morning incident, when the wife of a serving officer disturbed an attempt to place a bomb under her husband's car.

A second man has already been charged with offences linked to the botched bid.

Sean Paul Farrell (36) from Stannaway Road in Dublin denied attempting to murder a police officer and possessing an under-vehicle IED on June 18, 2015.

He is due to stand trial in a non-jury hearing which is scheduled to commence on January 17 and is expected to last up to four weeks.

Judge Stephen Fowler QC was informed by a Crown barrister that a decision whether or not to join the two cases together and trial both men at the same time has not yet been reached.

The Belfast Recorder said he will review Mr Maguire's position in a fortnight, when the cases of both men facing the same charges can be "mentioned together."