Third man in court over gun attack on Larne family

By Nevin Farrell and Iveren McCallion

A third man has appeared before Ballymena Magistrates Court over the attempted murder of a family in Larne.

Clayton Hastings, 24, of Glenview Cottages near Glenarm, Antrim, denied the charges against him earlier (Wednesday, 20th September), claiming he was out hunting.

He faces the charge of attempted murder of 'James and Aislinn Hassin and family' on Monday, September 11th at Brustin Brae Road in Larne.

Mr Hastings is also charged with hijacking a Volkswagen Bora and the aggravated taking and damaging of the vehicle on the same date, and  carrying a sawn-off shotgun with intent to commit an offence.

It follows an attack in which a shot that was fired at the Hassin family home at around 2am on September 11th, the shot went through a bedroom window where three young children were asleep. Shots were also fired into the hallway and a car was set alight against the property. No one was injured in the attack.

Two Larne men, aged 30 and 23, have already appeared in court charged in connection with the attack.

A police officer said he believed he could connect the accused, who was wearing a hoodie and was handcuffed in the dock, to the charges.

The detective constable said police had CCTV evidence from the Drumahoe Gardens area of Larne where firearms were found after the attack, adding that police believe a stolen Peugeot car was in the area.

He also told the court that police have CCTV footage showing the accused in Coleraine on the day the car was bought.

The officer said Mr Hastings provided police with an alibi relating to the night of the shooting, saying he was out "hunting" in the Kilwaughter area near Larne.

But phone records show the accused "moving around Larne at the time he said he was hunting".

The detective told the court police were objecting to bail as there was a likelihood of further offences.

He said there had been 18 attacks on vehicles, eight attacks on properties and three assaults as part of an "ongoing feud".

Defence lawyer Dennis Boyd said there was no evidence to link the accused to the crime scene, and no evidence of him being in the Peugeot car.

He said the evidence against his client was "circumstantial" and added, "There is literally nothing to put this man anywhere near the scene".

District Judge Peter King was told a co-accused had been granted bail at the same court on Saturday.

Judge King said he would release Mr Hastings on his own bail of £1,000 with a £5,000 surety, and a night time curfew and electronic tagging.

The defendant is banned from entering Larne and is not to contact the injured parties or any co-accused.

The case has been adjourned until October.