Omagh man refused bail on charge relating to hijacking

DETECTIVES from the Terrorism Investigation Unit investigating a vehicle hijacking and subsequent security alert in the Derry Road area of Omagh on Saturday, May 6, conducted a search at a house in the Culmore Road area of Omagh earlier today.

A number of items were seized and removed for further examination.

Meanwhile, an Omagh man has been refused bail on charges relating to the hijacking of a vehicle near the town earlier this month, which was then driven with a suspicious package to Omagh PSNI station.

Sean Pearson (29), from the Culmore area in the town, appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court this morning (Friday).

He is charged with possession of articles for use in terrorism.

The court was told by a Detective Chief Inspector that the incident arose when the injured party was at the graveyard atached to St Mary’s Church, Drumragh on Saturday May 6. As he left his vehicle, he was approached by two men who told him to stay where he was and that they were from the IRA.

One of the two commented that the timer had been set. One of the males produced a firearm and placed an item in the boot of the injured party’s vehicle.

He was then told to ‘take this to the barracks’ and that he had 20 minutes to do so.

The injured party then drove the vehicle to Omagh police station.

The hoax device was said to have contained a yellow gas bottle, a five star 227g butane gas cannister, a grey plastic tube which contained 130g of low-grade explosives assessed to be fireworks, a 24-hour mechanical timer of black and silver adhesive tape.

It was the police case from CCTV evidence that the accused had purchased the butane gas canisters and mechanical timer from a B&M bargains store in Omagh.

He said that when questioned Pearson had made no comment, but that his solicitor made a verbal statement on his behalf. The solicitor said that the adhesive tape had been purchased to use with a mobile phone which was overheating.

He added that the gas canister were used for a cooking stove which was also owned by Pearson.

The DCI said that the police carried out two searches, one in Strabane and one in Omagh. They said that no cooking stove was recovered.

A number of objections to bail were outlined by the DCI. He said that these included the risk of re-offending, and pointed out that, in 2018, Pearson had taken part in an Easter Commemoration Parade in Lurgan.

He said that other charges were under consideration by the Public Prosecution Service, and that during the search of Pearson’s home there were items of republican ideology were found.

The DCI added that there was also concern about the potential interference of witnesses.

It was also stated that the injured party in the case had been left ‘highly traumatised’ by the hijacking, and a number of homes had to be evacuated and Mass cancelled in a local church.

However, the defence solicitor, Owen Beattie, said that the items could have been purchased in any store and not necessarily in Omagh or Strabane.

The court was told that, as yet, there is no DNA analysis linking any of the items to Pearson.

The solicitor said that, following the initial arrest of Pearson, he had not sought to leave the jurisdiction and there was no record of him having re-offended.

He added that Pearson had a substantial cash surety of £2,000 in place and was supported in court by members of his family.

The solicitor said that his client strenuously denied the charges and was entitled to both the presumption of innocence.

However, District Judge, Ted Magill, refused bail, remanding Pearson in custody to appear again at Omagh Magistrates Court on June 16 via videolink.