Man refused bail over alleged town centre hijacking

A CASTLEDERG man who seized control of a vehicle with a hunting knife in Omagh town centre earlier this month has been refused bail at the town’s Magistrates Court.

Aaron Lynch, of Main Street, faces four charges arising of the incident which happened at Market Street in Omagh around lunchtime on Thursday, August 4. He is accused of possession of the offensive weapon, namely the hunting knife, seizing control of a vehicle, namely a Peugoet van by force of threat or a form of intimiation, taken the injured party by force, criminal damage to a PSNI vehicle and possession of the hunting knife with intent to commit a hijacking.

The PSNI objected to bail on the grounds that there was a risk of him contacting witnesses in the case.

They said that Lynch’s behaviour had escalated, and that he had previously been arrested for breaches of bail. The court was also told that there was a risk of Lynch trying to contact the injured party as he would know what he looked like, and that he was wearing his work clothes at the time, which would identify his employment. It was also stated that a business in the town centre had made a statement in relation to the case and what allegedly happened, and that Lynch would be aware of this.

Defence barrister, Michael Donaghy, described the allegations being faced by Lynch as ‘very serious’. He said that they were ‘entirely out of the stratosphere’ of what Lynch had faced before.

However, in making the bail application, Mr Donaghy went on to say that Lynch was not a prolific offender, and that he would not be familiar with the witnesses in the case and his knowledge of them is ‘non-existent’. Deputy District Judge, Noel Dunlop, refused the application, saying that he was not satisfied that the conditions for bail were there.

The case was adjourned until August 30.