A NORTHERN Ireland police officer and his family had to be relocated amid claims that a teenager accused of killing Constable Stephen Carroll was gathering intelligence for terrorists, the Belfast High Court heard yesterday.
Prosecutors also alleged that cartridge discharge residue similar to the ammunition used in the shooting was found in 18-year-old John Paul Wootton’s car.
Details emerged as Wootton, of Collingdale, Lurgan, Co Armagh, was refused bail due to fears he may flee if released. He is charged with the murder of Constable Carroll, who was ambushed and killed at Lismore Manor, Craigavon in March. Wootton is also accused of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists, and membership of the Continuity IRA.
Prosecution counsel Christine Smith said the 48-year-old victim was responding to a 999 report of a broken window when two shots were fired into his police car. A postmortem has established he died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The killing, just 48 hours after two soldiers were gunned down by the Real IRA at an army base in Antrim, was later claimed by the Continuity IRA.
According to Ms Smith, Wootton – then aged 17 – was arrested the day after Constable Carroll was killed and held for nearly two weeks in Antrim.
Throughout his detention period he refused to answer questions or co-operate, it was claimed.
She said the investigation revealed that a Citroen Saxo car owned by the accused was parked 137m from the scene of the murder and was driven off within minutes of the shots being fired.