Mr James Joseph Toland (28), unemployed, of Princes Street, Lurgan, Co Armagh, appeared at a special court in Lurgan RUC Station yesterday charged with attempting to murder Mr Andrew Meeke at Allen Grove, Lurgan, on April 11th.
In addition, he was also charged with possessing a shotgun and 13 cartridges and also with stealing the shotgun and cartridges belonging to John Toland on the same occasion.
The court was told by an RUC detective sergeant that when arrested, charged and cautioned, the defendant replied to the first charge: "I wouldn't have attempted to murder him. I wouldn't have shot him."
The witness said that in reply to the second charge the defendant said: "I had no intention of shooting anybody", and made no reply to the third charge.
The defendant was remanded in custody to Lisburn Magistrates' Court sitting in the Maze Prison on May 8th.