New date set for Omagh bomb trial

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A new date has been set for the start of the Omagh bomb murder trial, adjourned last week due to the ill health of the defence barrister.

The case was adjourned because senior counsel Orlando Pownall has a viral infection. Belfast judge Mr Justice Weir agreed to adjourn to 25 September.

A woman pregnant with twins was among the 29 people killed in the attack.

Sean Gerard Hoey, 37, an electrician of Molly Road, Jonesborough, Armagh, denies all 58 charges against him.

Mr Justice Weir said he wanted to be told immediately if Mr Pownall could not meet the new date.

If the the trial does not proceed then, the judge said, he would devise a "backstop solution".

Mr Justice Weir said he wanted to fix a firm date for the trial to proceed and was not prepared to allow the case to drift in and out of the lists.

Mr Hoey faces 58 charges including five other bombings, four bomb conspiracies, and six murder conspiracies.

The only person to be charged with murder in connection with the 1998 Omagh bombing, the accused has been in custody for about three years.