Three men charged with leaving hoax bomb at Omagh police station

THREE men are set to stand trial for allegedly hijacking a car and planting a hoax bomb outside Omagh police station.

Sean Pearson, 31, and Francis Pearson, 58, both of Culmore Park, Omagh, and Martin Kelly, 59, of Dreenan Road, Beragh, are charged in connection with the incident, which took place on May 6, 2023.

A man visiting St Mary’s Church in Clanabogan was reportedly approached by two masked men claiming to be in the IRA.

A third man then appeared with an alleged firearm before a device was placed in the boot of the victim’s car. One of the men allegedly told him, “Take it to the (police) barracks. You have 20 minutes.”

The victim’s phone was taken, and under duress, he drove to the PSNI station, where he alerted officers. A major security operation followed, and a hoax device was recovered, consisting of a gas canister, low-grade explosives, a timer switch, and adhesive tape.

All three men are charged with hijacking, possessing an imitation firearm and placing a hoax bomb.

Additionally, Sean Pearson is charged with possessing articles used in making the device, while Martin Kelly faces a separate charge of possessing four shotgun shells.

At Omagh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, the three men refused to stand or respond when the charges were put to them by District Judge Ted Magill. They also declined to submit any written evidence.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said there was a case to answer.

Judge Magill released the accused on bail of £500 each, with a date for arraignment to be set at a later stage.