Two men accused of attempting to murder a student police officer in Garrison back in 2009 will go on trial in the new year.
Kevin Barry Nolan from Blacklion and ex- Irish soldier Gerard James McManus from Letterkenny deny attempting to murder the student police officer, and possessing a gun with intent to endanger life in Garrison on 21 November, 2009.
McManus, 28 and from Fernhill, Letterkenny, and 35-year-old Nolan, of Main Street, Blacklion were detained during an undercover police operation at the time.
They will go on trial before a Diplock, no-jury judge at Belfast Crown Court in the new year.
Although no details surrounding the shooting or their arrests were given to the Crown Court last week, during a series of Magistrates’ Courts sittings, they heard that the two accused claimed they had no intention of shooting the trainee officer, only to scare him.
They were allegedly spotted in a Vauxhall Astra approaching home before police moved in.
McManus, wearing a balaclava allegedly went to the front door, while Nolan remained in the front passenger seat of the Astra, where he was later arrested, allegedly sitting on a magazine, loaded with 16 rounds for a Glock pistol.
McManus escaped, running down the side of the house firing off a shot.
He was apprehended the following morning, in a garden shed. A mask and gloves were found in the shed, but no gun was ever recovered.
During interview, both men maintained they had no intention of harming the student police officer.
In his interviews Nolan, whose alleged role was to give McManus directions, claimed that as far as he was concerned: “No harm was going to be caused,” and that firing the gun was to “put the frighteners on him.”
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