Two charged with attempted murder

A 55-YEAR-OLD grandmother and a youth of 17 were charged yesterday with attempted murder after a shotgun was fired into a caravan…

A 55-YEAR-OLD grandmother and a youth of 17 were charged yesterday with attempted murder after a shotgun was fired into a caravan at the Glen Road campsite in west Belfast at the weekend.

The city’s Magistrates Court was told that the charges against Hanna Ward, from Woodside Park, Dunmurry, and the youth, who cannot be named because he is under 18, were linked to a long-running feud between two settled families of the travelling community.

The defendants were charged with attempting to murder John Doherty last Saturday and the youth was also charged with possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life.

The detective in charge of the investigation said that she was opposed to the defendants being released on bail because of the risk of interference with witnesses.

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“We are looking for a third defendant and would be concerned about interference, further offences and failure to turn up because of the severity of the charges,” she said.

Solicitor Paul Dougan, defending, described Mrs Ward as the matriarch of a well-known travelling family.

“She is the carer for her husband who is in ill health and also looks after four grandchildren, so there is no likelihood of her upping sticks and moving away,” said Mr Dougan.

He said that Mrs Ward had been charged on the basis of joint enterprise. It was not alleged that she had any involvement in the shooting, merely that she drove a vehicle.

“She has provided an alibi which could have been checked out before her appearance in court but that was not done,” the solicitor added.

Mr Dougan said that the youth had also provided an alibi and was strenuously denying any involvement.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall said that in the light of the ongoing feud there was a likelihood of interference with witnesses and she refused bail.

After the defendants were remanded in custody until September 14th, a woman sitting in the public gallery shouted: “What’s happening to my mother? This is not justice. She’s not guilty.”

The woman was still screaming as she was taken out of the courtroom.