On-the-run shooting accused caught when he turned up for boxing match, court told
investigating a shooting in Co Tyrone detained a suspect when he turned up at Paddy Barnes’ professional boxing debut, the High Court has heard.
Connair Bloomer (26) had been on the run for five months after the gun attack on a man at a house in Cookstown, prosecutors said.
Details of his arrest were disclosed as he was refused bail for a fourth time.
The 35-year-old victim was shot in the legs when two men wearing balaclavas entered the property in the Drumcree area of the town last June.
Bloomer, of Drum Road in Cookstown, is charged with attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances.
A second man accused of firing the shots has been charged with attempted murder and other related offences.
A witness allegedly identified them returning to the house following an earlier row.
Robin Steer, prosecuting, claimed Bloomer went on the run across the border following the attack.
Detectives then discovered his plan to be at the fight staged at Belfast’s Titanic Exhibition CenPOLICE tre last November. “He was at large for five months, and police received information that he was going to be attending the Paddy Barnes boxing match,” Mr Steer said.
“They attended and arrested him there.”
Defence counsel argued that Bloomer should be released on bail due to delays in the case — despite acknowledging his own client made himself unavailable for so long.
Refusing the application, however, Mrs Justice Keegan cited the risk of flight.
She said: “At the moment I’m not prepared to grant bail because I can’t see any of the conditions dealing with the absconding issue.”
At a previous application for bail in December last year, Crown lawyer Natalie Pinkerton also claimed two applications for Irish passports were made during the period police were looking for him.