A BENCH warrant has been issued for an Enniskillen man charged in connection with a hoax bomb alert in Belcoo earlier this year.
Paul McTernan (33), whose address was given as ‘no fixed abode’, Enniskillen, was due to appear at Enniskillen Magistrates Court today (Wednesday), however did not appear for his hearing.
McTernan is charged with communicating that false information that a bomb was about to explode as well as wasting police time by reporting persons in balaclavas had committed an offence.
A PSNI officer told previous sitting of the court that on March 6 this year police received an emergency call from a male identifying himself as Peter Leonard then changed this to Peter Reynolds, who claimed windows and doors had been broken at a specific house in the Lattone Road area of Belcoo.
“It was contended that four males wearing balaclavas carrying firelighters and a red petrol can, while a black BMW with a Dublin registration plate was nearby,” said the officer.
A further call came in saying the men had set the property alight, however police were now at the scene and there was no sign of any incident.
An hour later there was another call giving the name of a known individual who resides in the Republic of Ireland stating, “I’m going to bomb Lattone Road. I’m the f***ing ‘Ra. No one can stop me, you piggy b*****ds.”
Eight minutes later at 7.40pm another call came referencing the same male stating “I’m going to plant a bomb tonight and blow half of Belcoo up. Send police and detectives and all.”
At 8.44pm there was another call purporting to be from this same male stating he was going to bomb a specific address in Lattone Road.
An Garda Siochana then contacted PSNI after receiving a similar call that four males from the UDA were going to blow up a bar in Bundoran.
The following day a police called the defendant’s mobile phone number which they held from previous involvement.
The officer asked to speak to Peter McTernan, who in turn claimed his name was Peter Maguire then changed to Paul Maguire.
The officer recognised McTernan’s voice as he had spoken to him on an unrelated matter last month.
He was arrested in Belcoo and his phone was seized however while being escorted to the police vehicle he attempted to escape. On being restrained a second phone was found in his jacket. McTernan accepted owning the phone but claimed his girlfriend made the calls.
At Enniskillen Magistrates Court this morning McTernan did not appear when called. As such, District Judge Alana McSorely issued a bench warrant for his arrest.