John Caldwell: Seven in court over attempted murder of detective

John Caldwell left hospital last month and was a guest at a garden party at Hillsborough Castle last week

Seven men have appeared in court charged with attempting to murder one of Northern Ireland's top detectives.

Det Ch Insp John Caldwell suffered life-changing injuries when he was shot after coaching a youth football team in Omagh in County Tyrone on 22 February.

The dissident republican group the New IRA said it carried out the shooting.

The men charged over the attack range in age from 28 to 72 and appeared by videolink at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Monday morning.

They were remanded into custody and are due to appear at Omagh Magistrates' Court next month.

Gavin Coyle (left) and Brian Carron are among the seven men accused of trying to kill the detective

Those jointly accused of attempted murder include Omagh men Jonathan McGinty, 28, from St Julian's Downs; Gavin Coyle, 45, of Killybrack Mews; and Robert McLean, 28; James Ivor McLean, 72, and 47-year-old Alan McFarland - all of Deverney Park.

Matthew Joseph McLean, 33, of Glenpark Road in Gortin, and 38-year-old Brian Carron, of Claremount Drive in Coalisland, are also charged.

Matthew McLean, Mr McFarland and Mr McGinty are also accused of preparing for acts of terrorism.

Mr Carron and Mr Coyle are also accused of belonging to the IRA.

The seven men were arrested on Friday.

In court Det Ch Insp Neil McGuinness outlined details about the movements of three cars involved in the attack - a Mercedes and two Ford Fiestas - and other vehicles allegedly used in the wake of the attack.

"It is our belief this is the clean-up operation following the attack," said Mr McGuinness.

He also told the court that police have made various links, based on CCTV evidence, to the vehicles and the accused both in the lead up to and the aftermath of the attack.

'Wide-ranging conspiracy'

Clothing linked to Mr Carron contained indicative particles of cartridge discharge residue and glycerine while other trace evidence was found in Mr Coyle's wallet, said the detective.

He added: "This was a well-planned, well-resourced attempt to murder John Caldwell. It was a very wide-ranging conspiracy."

Det Ch Insp McGuiness said the police believe there was a "personal element" to the attack on Mr Caldwell, who was "intimately involved" in investigations into several of the accused.

He said that potential grudge against Mr Caldwell was the "golden thread" linking a number of the accused.

The shooting happened at a sports complex in Omagh

The shooting, which happened in front of Mr Caldwell's son and other schoolchildren, was widely condemned by political figures across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Officers have previously stated they believe the dissident republican group the New IRA may have had a role in the attack.

Det Ch Insp Caldwell was discharged from hospital in April.

'Meticulously planned attack'

Three of the seven accused made bail applications on Monday - Mr Coyle, Mr McGinty and James Ivor McLean.

Lawyers for the three men questioned the strength of the evidence against their clients.

Bail was denied on the grounds of the risk of further offending and potential interference with the police investigation.

While Mr Carron's solicitor did not make a bail application, he indicated that one would be made at a later date and he challenged the basis upon which the police were connecting his client to the charges.

Refusing bail, the judge said: "This was a meticulously planned attack. The risk of reoffending is unmanageable."

All seven men were remanded in custody to appear by videolink before Omagh Magistrates' Court on 27 June.