‘Top New IRA man' facing trial on explosive charges
Alleged senior New IRA figure Brian Carron remained silent as a judge sent him for Crown Court trial on a series of possession of explosives charges.
The 41-year-old sat with his arms folded in the video-link booth of Maghaberry Prison throughout the hearing at Omagh Magistrates' Court.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Careless driver who ploughed into girl, 4, celebrating Eid pictured for first time
Javonnie Tavener was charged with causing death by careless driving after he crashed into a family who were walking home from an Eid celebration, killing four-year-old Mayar Yahia A careless driver who killed a child after he crashed into a family celebrating Eid, has been pictured for the first time. Mayar Yahia, aged 4, was walking with her loved ones on Upper Highgate Street, Birmingham, when disaster struck on April 14, last year. Birmingham Crown Court heard that two vehicles collided and a Corsa smashed past a barrier and into the group. Emergency services rushed to the scene and found Mayar on the roadside. Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the scene, whilst her mother and neighbour were left severely injured. The driver of the Corsa, Javonnie Tavener, was charged with causing death by careless driving, causing death whilst driving uninsured and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving. The 23-year-old appeared at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, July 30, and admitted all charges. Tavener has been remanded in custody is due to be sentenced at a later date, reports Birmingham Live. Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from WMP'S serious collision investigation unit, said: "Mayar was just four years old when her life was tragically taken away from her. She was walking back with her family and friends after celebrating Eid. "Pedestrians should be afforded and be reassured of protection when walking on the pavement and a split-second decision by Tavener to overtake where he did has led to this tragic chain of events. I would urge all drivers to think about this incident and how those decisions can have such catastrophic consequences." The tragedy shocked the city and prompted renewed calls for improved road safety measures and tougher enforcement against bad drivers. The road where Mayar died is now due to be pedestrianised following a campaign led by the family and Better Streets for Birmingham campaigners. It will prevent traffic from accessing a section of Upper Highgate Street near New Hope Community Park.
Spectator
12 hours ago
- Spectator
Confessions of a juror
When the jury service summons landed on my doormat, I cursed my luck. The nag of civic responsibility was just strong enough to stop me trying to wriggle out. Down to the Crown Court I trudged, praying that I wouldn't be lumbered with – and impoverished by – a six-month trial. Mercifully, the case was done in seven days. But it should have been over long before. Why did it take as much time as it did? It turns out that a day in court is no such thing. Sometimes it's not even half a day. Three of our seven days began at 10am, two at 10.30am. One day didn't get going till 11am. Only once were we told to be in court for 9am – on the first day, before the trial had started. When it did, there were more breaks than at the cricket. Barely an hour into each day, the judge let us out for a 15-minute breather. Didn't the custom of the morning interval end when we left school? The phrase 'lunch hour' lies to us. Most people wolf down a sandwich in ten minutes then get back to work. Not in court, where the lunch hour lives up to its name – and then some. Most days we stopped well before 1pm and didn't resume till 2pm. On Thursday, the judge rewarded our two-hour morning sitting with an equivalent lunch break. We returned refuelled for a long afternoon in court. Fat chance. Only once did the day stretch to 4.30pm. Otherwise we clocked off before 4pm. The standard working day in Britain is seven-to-eight hours. For many it's over ten. In court, if you're a juror at least, you're unlucky if it's three or four. Technical glitches added a flavour of farce. One day the microphone in the witness box broke. 'Can the jury step out while we fix it?' Another 20 minutes lost. 'We're now going to watch some video evidence on the screen,' announced the defence barrister. Not so fast, big man. The telly didn't work. Of course it didn't. That was the excuse the judge needed to grant us another early lunch. When we returned an hour and-a-half later, he told us not to get too comfortable: the TV was still kaput, so he was sending us home for the day. What's the difference between eloquence and concision? A barrister. 'I apologise for repeating this…' was uttered in court so often, I couldn't help but think: are you sorry, or do you just like to go on a bit? There's a point of justice here too: long and slow proceedings are harder for juries to follow. Nowhere was repetition more soporific than with written character statements. Fourteen mini-essays, all saying the same thing as the character witnesses we'd just heard in the stand. Yet every word from every statement was read aloud. Even a barrister fond of his own voice struggled with this recital, losing his place and mispronouncing his words. In 12 Angry Men, Henry Fonda's character asks, 'It's possible for a lawyer to be just plain stupid, isn't it?' In the middle of 14 back-to-back statements, it's a certainty. A summary would've saved us an hour and the barrister's blushes. This exhibition in inefficiency was by now comic, a source of eye-rolling and piss-taking among the jurors. The biggest laugh of all came on the third day. After yet another delay, the judge told us not to worry: 'We're running ahead of schedule.' Wow. What does behind schedule look like? Sir Brian Leveson, the retired High Court judge, suggested last month that one way to save the justice system from collapsing would be to cut the number of trials involving juries. I'm no judge, but I do have a more mundane solution: an eight-hour day in court. By doubling the time for cases each day, the growing backlog would rapidly start to shrink. My argument isn't a swipe at the state. If you work in the private sector, you'll know that time-wasting isn't the preserve of the public one. But given the crisis in our courts, it's hardly unreasonable to ask for a little more from them. Trial by jury in Britain has lasted for 800 years. Us jurors can give eight hours to help preserve it.
North Wales Live
12 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Dog owner whose XL Bully mauled boy, £500k car theft plotter and arsonists jailed in July
A dog owner whose XL Bully badly injured a boy, a £500k car theft plotter and two arsonists were among criminals jailed in North Wales in July. There was also a man who threatened to cut off his victim's face and another who dragged his wife down the stairs. In other cases a "reckless and erratic" man smashed a hair salon window showering two women inside with glass, and another crook stabbed a man in the stomach after hitting another with a champagne bottle in an earlier incident. Judges sentenced these offenders to immediate custody. Here we present a summary of these and other shocking cases which led to imprisonment last month. Barthomiej Swedroski A Wrexham man who dragged his wife down the stairs before punching her "about ten times" has been jailed. Barthomiej Swedroski, 36, admitted three separate offences of assault and was jailed for 20 weeks, Caernarfon Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Ryan Rothwell said the couple, from Poland, had been in a relationship. Last November Swedroski was laid off from work and began drinking a lot. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here He assaulted Martyna Swedroski three times at the Atlea Estate, New Broughton, Wrexham. In the first incident on November 5 the defendant hit her several times in the face. She got a nosebleed and a scratch on her right eyebrow. Ethan Jordan Jones An abusive man woke up his partner using a lighter on her wrist during a string of assaults. Ethan Jones, who has "deep-seated jealousy issues", also grabbed the woman by her hair and punched her and said he "used to be an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter", a court heard today. The 25-year-old, of Llwyn Hudol, Maesgeirchen, Bangor, pleaded guilty to four assaults causing actual bodily harm, and intentional strangulation. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court jailed him for 27 months for ABH and for 15 months for intentional strangulation, to run concurrently. Prosecutor Dafydd Roberts said Jones and the woman had been in a relationship for six years. His partner said he was "caring and thoughtful" at first but then they argued and it turned "toxic". Kevin Evans A balaclava-clad arsonist waging a "vendetta" set fire to a house in Caernarfon. Kevin Evans poured petrol through the letterbox of a property before setting it alight. He had filled a jerry can with the petrol before pushing the nozzle through the letterbox, before later putting the container, which was in a bag for life, into a skip. The defendant was also seen carrying a long knife or machete. The occupant spotted what was happening and managed to flee with her partner. A casualty injured in the incident named Evans, 33, as the suspected arsonist, and he was later arrested. Police rushed to his home and found him trying to wash his petrol-soiled clothes. Tomas Politovas A man had been jailed for his part in a "sophisticated" plot to steal 16 high value cars worth up to £500,000 from Cheshire and North Wales. Tomas Politovas covered CCTV and doorbell cameras with duct tape and used high tech equipment and GPS jamming devices before stealing BMWs and other vehicles. He would break them up with accomplices probably to sell the parts abroad. Even when the schemers' barn in Norfolk was raided their thefts continued. But a judge praised "alert" police officers in Prestatyn after they spotted Politovas's suspicious car and arrested him. He was found with a rucksack containing a Stanley knife and other "tools of his trade," Caernarfon Crown Court heard. John Haden A "reckless and erratic" man smashed the window of a hair salon, showering two women inside it with glass. The hairdresser and customer both needed hospital treatment. Police caught John Haden, 30, nearby following the incident in Wrexham city centre on June 12. The defendant, of Chester Road, Wrexham, admitted two charges of wounding by causing grievous bodily harm without intent. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court jailed him for a total of 210 days after also activating part of a suspended sentence from an earlier offence. You can sign up for all the Martin Pritchard A knifeman threatened to cut a man's face off in a North Wales pub. Martin Pritchard targeted his victim after an incident in a car park involving Pritchard's sister. A judge jailed Pritchard, 43, of Scott Close, Marchwiel, for 16 months for threatening a person with a knife in a public place. Caernarfon Crown Court heard the offence took place at The Black Lion Inn in Bersham, Wrexham on July 13 last year. Prosecutor Ryan Rothwell said the complainant Mark Robertson heard a commotion outside the Black Lion Inn at 8pm. He saw a Ford Kuga - with the driver who appeared to be intoxicated - and a stationary Range Rover in the car park. Samual Allan A man who was "evicted" from a homeless hostel had £3,000 of his belongings stolen after he had gone. His possessions included an Omega watch worth £2,000. He later had to go to prison on remand in "tattered" clothes due to the burglary at the hostel in Flintshire. Samual Allan, 36, of Halkyn Road, Holywell, admitted committing burglary. A judge jailed him for 16 months. Mold Crown Court heard victim Robert Salisbury had been living in room 13 of the homeless hostel. Brian Storey A drugs trafficker used encrypted chat messages to import heroin worth £900,000 from Spain and the Netherlands to North Wales and elsewhere in the UK. Brian Storey set up a dummy run but when the drug was imported for real one consignment was intercepted by police. Officers swooped on Storey's home but he escaped and went on the run for almost 23 months. The 49-year-old was then spotted by chance in Chester and arrested, after his accomplices had earlier been caught in a Mold pub car park. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court jailed Storey, of Fulwood Park, south Liverpool, for 12 years and seven months for conspiracy to import a class A drug between January 1 and May 5, 2020. Philip Powell A man turned up at a woman's home with a machete threatening "phone the police and you're dead," a court heard. The victim, who was at home with her partner, heard a loud "thudding bang", followed by a shattering noise and a further loud bang. She realised the porch window had been smashed and called the police following the incident, which happened shortly before midnight on June 5 this year. Jade Tufail, prosecuting, said the victim reviewed CCTV footage at the property and saw Phillip Powell using a machete to break through the front door and shouting "phone the police and you're dead". Matthew Ridyard Two burglars who broke into the Pontins holiday camp in Prestatyn fled after being disturbed by a guard. The pair ran from the scene, leaving behind a bag filled with bathroom mixer taps. However they made the decision to return to the site, and were seen getting into a silver car before it was driven away. Officers stopped the vehicle and the pair were arrested and charged with burglary. Matthew Ridyard, 28, of John Street, Rhyl, was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to burglary, while his co-defendant Michael Brady, 45, of Bath Street, Rhyl, was handed a 20-week sentence suspended for 18 months. Carly Leanne Griffiths A prolific offender has been jailed after she admitted to shoplifting and other offences in the Wrexham area. Carly Leanne Griffiths appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court yesterday (Wednesday, July 23) where she was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison. A North Wales Police spokesperson said: "The 35-year-old, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to three counts of theft from a shop, harassment - breach of a restraining order, attempt theft from shop and assault. The court was told that the offences took place on the 12th, 13th and 21st July from the Co-op store on Prince Charles Road in Wrexham." Sergeant Tom Dewberry, Wrexham City District Support Sergeant added: 'Griffiths is a prolific offender, and I welcome that she is now behind bars. The impact that her offending had on the people and business affected cannot be underestimated." Andrew Phipps A man threatened to kill his neighbour before arming himself with a knife and chisel. Andrew Phipps also threatened to kill himself and others as he shouted while within a block of flats at Bron-y-Crest in Denbigh. Phipps was suffering with mental health issues at the time, a sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court heard. Phipps, 57, of, Bron-y-Crest, Denbigh, who appeared by video link from prison, admitted making threats to kill, criminal damage and affray. Richard Edwards, prosecuting, said on March 23, 2025, the victim, who had been a neighbour of Phipps for ten years, had gone round to his flat with some milk. However she became concerned when she saw knives on the floor, he made her a cup of coffee with no coffee in it and seemed confused. Ian Parry A dog owner has been jailed after his XL Bully mauled a boy in the street in an horrific attack. Nine-year-old Caio Shaw lost his right thumb after Ian Parry's dog escaped on to a street in Caernarfon and pounced on the child. Caernarfon Crown Court heard Parry's daughter had probably let the dog out of its cage and it went on to North Penrallt and soon "focussed" on Caio, who was then aged eight. It lunged at him and a woman Yvette Hodgson tried to fight off the dog. Parry, 45, himself came out of his house with a knife and stabbed the dog twice. Caleb Corr A landlord rushed to put out flames after a tenant set fire to his flat. The tenant also threw a glass bottle at a neighbour and brandished a knife before police got into the property and drew a Taser. Eventually Caleb Corr was arrested but he spat all around his police car cell. The 33-year-old, of Don Flats in Pentraeth, admitted several offences. a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court jailed him for four years for arson being reckless as to whether lives were endangered. Prosecutor Myles Wilson said some residents at Don Flats in Pentraeth smelt smoke coming from Corr's ground floor flat in the early hours of May 13. Aaron Roberts A man who stabbed a victim in the stomach and injured another man with a champagne bottle has been jailed for over four years. Aaron Roberts, 31, committed the offences in May and July last year. Roberts, of North Drive, Rhyl, admitted wounding, affray and three counts of criminal damage in one attack, and assault in the second incident. Prosecutor Richard Edwards said a man called Levi Lampard had been with his girlfriend Amy Adams to Wetherspoons in Holywell on July 24 last year. Afterwards Ms Adams suggested they pop over to her friend Sian's house. However the defendant Roberts was also in the house, the court heard.
