Blackmail case stalls asaccused fails to appear

A CASE of blackmail which has been repeatedly listed for committal to crown court for trial has stalled again after one of the accused failed to appear or engaged with her lawyers.

Christopher Murray (28) from Ashfield Gardens, Fintona and Samantha Morrison (20) from Darling Street, Enniskillen are jointly accused of 11 counts of blackmail by demanding various sums of money with menaces, ranging from £100 to £2000.

Murray is further accused of making a similar demand for £2,600 on May 10 2020.

The third accused, Sophie Stephens (21) from Donegall Avenue, Belfast faces a single count of making an unwarranted demand for £100 between April 1 and 30 2020.

According to court papers, the trio are accused of targeting the alleged victim on several dates between February and May 2020.

Despite Murray and Stephens appearing before Enniskillen Magistrates Court for a committal hearing to transfer to trial since May,

Morrison has consistently failed to attend. At the most recent sitting her solicitor advised he had lost all contact with her. District Judge Steven Keown issued a warrant for Morrison’s arrest and relisted the case against her co-accused for mention on August 22.