Man charged with explosives offences after DNA found on devices

By Michael McHugh, PA

The chances of DNA material allegedly linking a man to explosives offences being wrong is one in a billion, a detective has told a court in Dungannon.

Noel John Logan, 33, from Nelson Drive in Londonderry, faces three counts of possession of explosives with intent to endanger life and three counts of making explosives with intent to endanger life.

The alleged offences occurred in 2017 and 2019 and involved improvised devices, Dungannon Magistrates’ Court heard.

A PSNI detective said he could connect the accused to the charges.

He added: “The chances of those profiles not belonging to Mr Logan as a contributor were assessed in two of the cases as being one in a billion and in the other case, one of the cases in 2017, forensic science have said that the chances that Mr Logan did not make up that profile was a chance in 1.7 million.

“So it is two of them one in a billion and one, one in 1.7 million.”

His lawyer, Ciaran Shiels, questioned the detective about the description of his client as a “significant contributor” to mixed DNA profiles found on the devices, meaning containing genetic material from more than one person.

The officer responded: “In one of the incidents he was described a being the major profile contributed.

“In the other incidents there were mixed profiles.

“His was the only one we could extract as being the main contributor to it.”

No bail application was made as further details are awaited.

He was remanded into custody until one is submitted to the court later this month.