Police uncover separate attempt to murder PSNI officer John Caldwell weeks before he was shot

ITV News

3 days ago

Police have uncovered what they believe was a failed attempt to murder detective John Caldwell in the weeks before he was seriously wounded in a gun attack by dissident republicans, a court has heard.
The details were revealed as two men appeared at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on charges linked to the attempted murder of the senior Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on February 22 2023.
Mr Caldwell was shot several times while he was off duty and with his young son, packing up after coaching a youth football team.
The attack was claimed by the New IRA.
Mr Caldwell has since retired from the PSNI on medical grounds.
A number of people have previously appeared in court charged with offences linked to the shooting attack.
Caoimhin Murphy, 25, from Altowen Park, Coalisland, and Liam Robinson, 45, of Ardstewart, Stewartstown, are both charged with preparation of terrorist attacks and perverting the course of justice.
Both men appeared in court on Wednesday via videolink from Musgrave Street police station in Belfast.
Neither responded when asked if they understood the charges.
A detective sergeant told the court he could connect both men to the offences.
After the court was told there was a challenge to the connections, a prosecution barrister said the investigation into the shooting of Mr Caldwell had been a 'complex, circumstantial case,' pointing out that several people had already been charged.
She said: 'When the original individuals were charged that was subsequent to the attempt on DCI Caldwell on the 22nd February of 2023.
'Investigations obviously continued and through those investigations it was ascertained the case is there was a prior attempt on the 1st February 2023.'
She said of the first attempt on the detective's life an Audi and a Volkswagen vehicle had been used and when he was later shot, two Ford Fiestas had been used.
She told the court the case against Murphy is that it is alleged he had moved a vehicle involved in the first failed attack, moved a vehicle involved in the later attack and had been involved in burning a car after the detective was shot.
The case against Robinson is that it is alleged he assisted in the recovery of a vehicle used in the first attempt, moved a vehicle in the second attempt and assisted in burning a car.
The detective sergeant told the court: 'The investigation has identified what is believed to have been a failed attempt to attack DCI Caldwell on the 1st February.
'On this occasion DCI Caldwell wasn't at Youth Sport, which would have been his usual routine.
'At that time a Volkswagen Tiguan on false registration plates was observed on CCTV entering the youth sports site in similar fashion to the movements of the Fiesta number one on the 22nd, the evening of the attempt.'
The officer laid out elements of the police investigation which stretched over events on a number of dates in February 2023 and included phone and CCTV evidence and what police believe are suspects taking place in 'walk and talk' conversations.
He said the shooting of the detective is believed to have been 'a joint venture between a number of active service units', including Belfast and Tyrone New IRA.
The officer told the court that on the night Mr Caldwell was shot, he had arrived at football training earlier than usual.
He said police believe the attack had been planned to take place when he arrived at the sports complex, but was delayed because of his early arrival.
He added: 'He was not shot until 8 o'clock that night, an hour and a half after what we would suggest was the planned attack.'
Murphy's defence solicitor Peter Corrigan told the court there was 'not one iota' of surveillance evidence linking his client to any of the vehicles used in the shooting.
Robinson's solicitor Gavin Booth said it was not part of the prosecution case that his client had taken part in the shooting of Mr Caldwell and had been in Coalisland at the time of the attack.
The prosecuting barrister said it was a 'circumstantial case in its truest form'.
She said: 'One strand may be weaker than the other, that is what a circumstantial case is.
'But when they are all layered on top of the other the consequences of those meetings, the prosecution says that there is sufficient material before the court to connect both accused to the charges.'
Mr Corrigan: 'It is a circumstantial case, but it is a circumstantial case which fails at connection because there are alternative explanations.
'It is all based on speculation and conjecture and does not close alternative explanations.'
District Judge Rafferty said he was satisfied both could be connected to the offences.
Police objected to a bail application for Robinson, with the detective sergeant stating it is believed he has a 'trusted role' in the IRA.
He added: 'The New IRA have made a claim of responsibility for this terrorist attack.
'In addition to trying to justify the shooting of DCI Caldwell as a senior Crown forces member, the group further claimed that Irish Republican Army intelligence are now in possession of security information regarding the out of bounds movement of Crown force personnel.'
He added: 'The threat to the life of John Caldwell continues to this day with his name appearing on a bonfire in the Creggan estate as we speak along with cross-hairs indicating he continues to be a target.'
He said the threat posed by the group was 'real and imminent'.
The judge denied bail to Robinson.
Both defendants were remanded in custody.