TWO Newtownards men - one the son of a notorious loyalist - have appeared in court accused of a petrol bomb and intimidation attack.
Sitting side by side in a police cell, 30-year-olds Stephen McKeag and Robert Montgomery appeared at Newtownards Magistrates Court by videolink where they spoke only to confirm they understood their respective charges, all alleged to have been committed on March 26.
McKeag, from Upper Movilla Street and Montgomery, from Queens Square, are jointly charged with arson of a property on Moyne with intent to endanger life as well as possessing throwing and making petrol bombs.
While Montgomery is charged with intimidation, McKeag is charged with attempted intimidation if the householder and with possessing class B cannabis.
On a separate indictment McKeag, whose father was Stephen ‘top gun’ McKeag, a loyalist hitman in Johnny Adair's C company before he died from a drug overdose in 2000, was also charged with disorderly behaviour at the Ulster Hospital, assaulting police and possessing cannabis on March 1.
The court appearance comes amid what police have described as an ongoing drug feud between paramilitary gangs in the town with threatening graffiti being daubed in walls before several homes were attacked by petrol bombs and the windows smashed.
Giving evidence to the court a police detective constable opposed bail.
He said that according to the female householder, she looked out of her property at about 10pm and saw a gang of around sex men outside.
A few minutes later, windows upstairs and downstairs at both the front and rear were smashed in what appeared to be a “coordinated attack” and that was followed by two petrol bombs being launched at the house.
One landed outside and has caused scorch damage to the outside but one landed inside and it has caused smoke and fire damage.
The constable said a man in the house had to be treated for burns after he picked up burning material which he “threw into the kitchen sink”.
McKeag and Montgomery were arrested after the householder claimed she recognised the two men as part of the six strong crowd and both denied involvement, the court heard.
Outlining how there’s an “ongoing feud” behind the offence, the officer said police were objecting to bail due the risk of further offences and further public disorder.
Despite submissions from defence counsel that the pair could be freed with conditions given there will be significant delays before any purported identification evidence can be challenged, District Judge Mark Hamill refused.
“The background is an ongoing feud, those two words are important - ongoing feud," he said.
Remanding them both into custody, he adjourned the case to April 26.