'Missing' suspects: serious charges dropped

Chris Donegan • Published 18 Feb 2010 10:50 0 Comments

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The fugitives can stop running. The police have given up the chase.

At Fermanagh Court on Monday the PPS (Public Prosecution Service) formally applied to have arrest warrants withdrawn in relation to 11 suspected criminals. Some of them were facing serious charges including threatening to kill people, possession of drugs, theft and dangerous driving.

District Judge Liam McNally granted the applications to withdraw the warrants after being told that "all efforts" had been made to find the individuals concerned.

It is not clear whether the suspected criminals had deliberately attempted to evade the law or simply could not be found.

Neither the PSNI nor PPS has said whether the victims of any of the crimes were consulted prior to the decision being taken to withdraw the charges. Nor have they revealed how many cases are involved and the most serious charge being faced by someone who is no longer being sought by the police as a result of Monday's court action.

A spokesman for the Court Service said: "The charges were withdrawn at the request of the police."

A police spokesman explained: "As part of a review, a number of outstanding bench warrants were referred to the PPS, which directed that an application be made to the court to have them withdrawn."

A PPS representative made the applications on Monday and the warrants were withdrawn.

The police spokesman said: "The warrants were for a range of offences in a period from 2001 to 2006. They had been issued in regard to individuals who did not appear in court to answer their bail.

"The original charges have also been withdrawn," he confirmed.

It is understood the decision to withdraw them was based on how likely it was that the police would ever apprehend the suspects and if they did, what chance there would be of getting a conviction in the courts.

Yesterday(Wednesday), after being approached by The Impartial Reporter, Raymond Kitson, deputy director of the PPS approached the police about the matter but made no comment.

Among the warrants withdrawn on Monday was one for 28-year-old Ian Derek Brown, who was living at Erne Park, Kesh, when he was charged with harassing and threatening to kill a woman in January 2005. Another was for the arrest of 23-year-old Dominic McDonagh, from Lisolvan Park, Brookeborough, on drug and theft charges from April 2005.

A number of other suspects were accused of committing motoring offences. They included 48-year-old John Thomas Murray, of Carrowshee Park, Lisnaskea, who was charged with driving with excess alcohol and failing to stop for police at Castle Lane, Lisnaskea, in March 2005, and 43-year-old Alan Verner, from Tiger Court, Antrim, who was charged with driving with excess alcohol and without insurance on the Wellington Road in Enniskillen in August 2004.

Half the alleged offenders were from across the Border. They included 32-year-old Barry Fox, from Castlefin in County Donegal, who was charged with driving dangerously in May 2005, and 58-year-old Patrick McConnell, from County West Meath, who was accused of driving with excess alcohol in April 2005.

Fox was one of the few to face any penalty in relation to his alleged offence. At the time of the incident he was released on bail of £200 and on Monday that money was formally seized and he will not be getting it back.

At some stage all of the accused would have been sent summonses to attend court. If someone fails to turn up in response to a summons the District Judge can issue a warrant for their arrest. Not only have the warrants now been withdrawn but the charges have also been withdrawn. So if the people named on the summonses were guilty as charged then they have got away with their crimes and escaped justice.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 18 Feb 10

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