Two men charged over bomb threats against Sinn Féin
- Published
A bomb threat was allegedly called in to the home of Sinn Féin MP John Finucane
Two men have appeared in court on charges including causing false bomb hoaxes at a Sinn Féin office in Belfast and at the homes of two politicians.
Finton Geraghty, 45, from Ivy Hill in Lisburn and Christopher Maxwell, 46, from Blackstaff Mews in Belfast appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday.
The pair were charged with, and denied, offences dating back to 2019 and 2020.
Both men entered pleas of not guilty to all charges put before them.
Mr Geraghty was charged that on 1 July 2019 he communicated false information to a priest with the intention of inducing a false belief that "a bomb or other thing liable to explode or ignite" was present at the homes of Sinn Féin MP John Finucane and councillor Seanna Walsh.
When the charge was put to Mr Geraghty and when asked how he pleaded, he replied "not guilty."
The two men appeared beore Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday
His co-accused , Mr Maxwell was charged with a similar office, namely that on 9 August 2020 he communicated false information to a member of staff at the Sinn Féin office at Connolly House on the Falls Road that "a bomb or other thing liable to explode or ignite" was present at the premises.
Mr Maxwell, denied both this charge and an additional two charges.
He was charged with causing a bomb hoax by placing an article at Connolly House with the intention of inducing a belief that it was likely to explode or ignite on 9 August 2020, and of driving whilst disqualified on the Falls Road on the same date - and pleaded "not guilty" to both.
The pair were also jointly charged that on 11 July 2019 they communicated false information to a PSNI operator that a device was present at the Avoneil Leisure Centre in Belfast.
Both men entered "not guilty" pleas to this alleged offence.
A defence barrister told the judge that the case "will depend heavily on video and audio material", some of which has not yet been received from the Crown.
No date for a trial was set today but Judge Kerr said he would review the case on 22 May and expressed the hope that by then the defence will have received all the relevant materials and that "further progress" can be made.