A 72-year-old accused of the murder of two British soldiers in 1972 has been returned for trial almost five years after being extradited from the Republic.
John Anthony Downey appeared at Omagh Magistrates’ Court back in 2019, charged with the murders of Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private John Eames, as well as aiding and abetting an explosion likely to endanger life.
The soldiers, aged 32 and 33 respectively, were killed in a car bomb attack in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh on 25 August 1972.
A detective chief inspector explained Downey, from Creeslough in Donegal, handed himself in “after all legal processes had been exhausted to delay extradition”.
Strongly opposing bail, the detective had contended Downey “does not want to face justice in Northern Ireland”.
“He has challenged proceedings all the way. He was associated with the commonly known Hyde Park bomb in which four persons were murdered,” the officer had said.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan had refused bail and Downey was remanded in custody.
Downey was eventually granted High Court bail and while the case was fast-tracked for transfer to the crown court, the defence challenged the legality of the process throughout.
This week Judge Ranaghan ruled there is a case to answer and returned Downey for trial.
He was remanded on bail to appear for arraignment at Belfast Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
