A man has appeared in court charged with fraud by false representation in connection with the case of murdered journalist Martin O’Hagan.
Michael Kingsberry, with an address in Sycamore Close in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The 42-year-old faces a charge that on August 15 2019 he made a false representation, namely, purported to hold official documents with the intention to make a gain for himself or another or to cause loss to the family of Mr O’Hagan.
Police investigating the murder of Mr O’Hagan arrested him in England last month.
Mr O’Hagan, 51, was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries as he walked home from a night out with his wife in Lurgan, Co Armagh, in September 2001.
No-one has ever been successfully prosecuted for his murder.
Asked if he understood the charge, Kingsberry replied: “Yes.”
A PSNI detective constable told the court that she was familiar with the facts and circumstances of the case, and was able to connect the accused to the charge.
The prosecutor told District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons that the case has to be passed to the central team for a decision, and that the full case file is due on June 4.
A defence barrister told the court that his client is on bail and that he is content with a longer adjournment.
Judge Fitzsimons said the full file may not be completed by June 4 as it is a “complex file”.
She added that she would convert Kingsberry’s police bail to court bail.
Kingsberry was released on continuing bail of £500 to an address in England, and was ordered not to have any contact, directly or indirectly, with anyone who is a family member of Mr O’Hagan, nor is he to encourage anyone else to do so on his behalf.
He has also been banned from entering Lurgan as per the 30 mile per hour limit zones.
The case will come before the court again on June 13.
The defence barrister requested that the defendant be excused from attending based on medical evidence.
The judge has asked for proof of the medical evidence before she will excuse him from attending.
An application for legal aid was also made.
Resident doctors in England to be balloted on strike action over pay
Local elections: Live results map for every council and mayor race
Reform ‘now main opposition party’, says Farage
UK’s new ‘StormShroud’ drones come into operation
EgyptAir crash which killed British man caused by oxygen fire, says coroner
Swinney: Scotland must be alive to the threat of Farage after English elections
