Bail is refused for man accused of gun attack on Larne family’s home
A LARNE man has been remanded in custody after being accused of trying to murder a family when shots were fired at a house in the town on Monday.
Jonathan Colin McCormac (30), of Wellington Green, appeared in the dock in handcuffs at Ballymena Magistrates Court yesterday.
A court clerk read out 10 charges, including the attempted murder of James and Aislinn Hassin and their family.
The family’s home was attacked at around 2am on Monday and included a shot being fired at a bedroom window where three children, aged 10, seven and three, were asleep.
McCormac was also charged with carrying a sawn-off shotgun with intent to commit an offence; hijacking a Volkswagen Bora car in Larne and aggravated taking and causing damage to the vehicle.
He was also charged with the attempted aggravated burglary of a house with intent to commit grievous bodily harm on Bill Russell at Ardnaglass Gardens, Antrim, on August 18.
McCormac is charged with possessing a sledgehammer as an offensive weapon and causing criminal damage to a Volkswagen Golf car belonging to Mr Russell.
He is also accused of causing criminal damage to a Peugeot Partner van belonging to Stephen Magill and a Vauxhall Zafira vehicle belonging to Kim Magill on August 29. He was accused of possessing hand tools as offensive weapons at Victoria Road, Larne on the same date.
A police officer said he believed he could connect the accused to the charges and opposed bail.
The officer said there had been “ongoing tension” in Larne since April.
He said Monday’s attack was “linked to ongoing tensions between loyalist paramilitaries and Mr Hassin”.
The officer said police believed McCormac was linked to the purchase of a vehicle in which four masked men arrived at Ardnaglass Gardens in Antrim on August 18.
Referring to Monday’s incident, the officer said a vehicle was stolen in Larne at around 1.40am. Two people armed with sawn-off shotguns held one of the guns to the victim’s head, warning that if police were contacted “we know who you are, and we will be back for you”.
A short time later a vehicle was driven into the garage of a house at Brustin Brae Road, Larne, and shots were fired.
The officer added: “One of the windows shot was the bedroom of three young children sleeping inside”.
The officer said the occupant, James Hassin, identified McCormac, who was allegedly wearing a balaclava, “by gait and build and the shape of his head” as he had known him for five years.
The officer stated a vehicle was later found burnt out and a footwear mark found beside the vehicle was similar to footwear worn by McCormac.
The policeman said two sawnoff shotguns, cartridges and a crowbar were recovered behind garages at Drumahoe Gardens, near the defendant’s home.
The officer said a relative of Mr Hassin’s wife had her car set on fire on Tuesday night. The policeman told the court: “It seems any associate of Mr Hassin is being targeted”.
The officer said McCormac declined to give any account of his movements to police.
Defence barrister Aaron Thompson said the case against his client was “circumstantial” and he said it appeared there was little evidence other than a “heavy set man” being identified.
With no bail address available outside of Larne, the application was refused, and McCormac was remanded in custody to appear back at Ballymena Court via video link on October 5.