Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Former cop is remanded on £500 bail
A FORMER police officer who claimed he was confronted by a lone gunman at his home has admitted perverting the course of justice.
Craig Moffitt, 37 with an address given as PSNI
Mahon Road, Portadown, admitted claiming a woman had informed him that a named man had “arranged to have him done in”.
He appeared in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court speaking only to confirm his identity and to plead guilty to the single charge.
Judge Fiona Bagnall decided pre-sentence reports were required given the nature of the offending. She remanded Moffitt on continuing bail of £500 to appear for sentencing on May 24.
CONDEMNATION
An attempted murder investigation was launched during the early hours of January 2, 2020 in Kesh, which resulted in the arrest of a male, who was later released without charge. The high-profile incident drew widespread condemnation.
At the time the PSNI said a lone gunman dressed entirely in black pointed a shotgun directly at the officer.
He raised the alarm after allegedly noticing movement outside his home, and on opening the door to check, encountered the masked male.
The gun, it was claimed, failed to fire and the male fled on foot over fields in the direction of a football club.
At the time a senior PSNI officer said police “firmly believe that this disturbing incident was a failed attempt to kill a local police officer”.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Enquiries into the attempted murder investigation have concluded and the matter closed pending any further evidence.
“The man arrested is no longer a subject of this investigation.”