Sean Hoey
‘12 boxes of papers’ in case against Omagh bomb accused
TUESDAY 31/05/2005 12:00:03
A dozen boxes of evidence have been amassed against the man charged with murdering 29 people in the Omagh bomb massacre, a court heard today.
Lawyers defending electrician Sean Hoey, 35, also confirmed they would be cross-examining a list of forensic witnesses at a hearing next month.
The South Armagh man appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim where he is on remand accused of 61 terrorist explosive offences.
Among them are the charges of killing all those who died in the no warning strike on Omagh, Northern Ireland`s biggest atrocity.
Hoey, of Molly Road, Jonesborough, is accused of membership of the Real IRA, the dissident republican organisation which carried out the August 1998 attack.
Hundreds were also injured when the 500lb car bomb ripped through the Co Tyrone market town.
Michael and Patsy Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the explosion, and Stanley McComb, who lost his wife Ann, were in court for the 10 minute hearing.
They are also part of a multi-million pound civil action against five men they suspect of plotting the outrage.
But Hoey, who faces charges of conspiring to kill members of the security forces as well, is the first man to be accused of the murders.
The charges followed an 18 month police trawl through all available evidence.
Defence solicitor Peter Corrigan told the court he wanted those involved in the forensic examination to be called as witnesses at a preliminary inquiry.
A list of people to be questioned will be given to the court within the next few days, he added.
As he negotiated how this evidence should be recorded by audio techniques in a bid to speed up the process, resident magistrate Desmond Perry revealed the huge amount of documentation involved.
He said: “I`m told there are 12 boxes of papers potentially for me to read.
“Mr (Gordon) Kerr, senior counsel for the Crown, has indicated he will provide a resume of evidence which may shorten that process.
“Having regard to the volume of papers I`m going to require some considerable time to read them.”
Hoey was remanded in custody to appear again on June 20 when the preliminary inquiry hearing will begin.
