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A Coalisland man facing charges including directing a terrorist organisation had a bid to vary his bail to allow him to attend a snooker event in London refused today.
The application to vary Kevin Barry Murphy’s bail was made and refused at Belfast Crown Court.
From Altowen Park in Coalisland, the 55-year old is one of a number of people charged with terrorist offences following a covert intelligence operation regarding the activities of the New IRA.
As part of ‘Operation Arbacia’, the security forces recorded two meetings which were held at two properties in Tyrone – one in February 2020 and the second in July 2020.
Murphy was subsequently charged with six offences and is currently on bail.
Launching an application to vary bail, Murphy’s barrister Karl McGuckin said this was to allow him to travel to London for two days in January.
This, Mr McGuckin said, was so that Murphy could attend the Masters snooker tournament.
Objecting to the application due to concerns over risks of re-offending and absconding, a Crown barrister said Murphy was facing serious charges including directing terrorism.
The Crown barrister added that as a result of Operation Arbacia, Murphy was described as “a senior New IRA official” on the recordings.
Revealing his client spend three years on remand and has been on bail for two years, Mr McGuckin said his trial “isn’t likely to come on for a year or so.”
The defence barrister added that bail conditions were “manageable” in London and that Murphy could be asked to attend a local police station.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC said: “I do not consider it proportional or reasonable to vary the terms of someone on very serious charges to allow them to go to London for a snooker match. The application is refused.”
