By Paul Higgins
An Armagh man accused of attempted murder shouted “trick or treat” before throwing a lit petrol bomb “directly towards two people” in a busy pub, a court heard today (Wed.)
Newry Magistrates Court also heard that while those victims have been left severely burned, 38-year-old John Patrick Nixon calmly walked out of the Toby Jug Bar, pulled a knife out of his waistband and picked up the white plastic bag that had contained the petrol bomb and walked away.
Appearing in the dock Nixon, from Corrigan Court in Armagh, was charged with seven offences, all alleged to have been committed on 18 August this year.
The alleged would-be killer faces two charges of attempted murder, arson of the Toby Jug pub with intent to endanger life, possessing a knife and three charges of criminal damage to two windows and a Volvo car.
Giving evidence to the court, a detective constable said he believed he could connect Nixon to each of the charges.
Although defence counsel Joel Lindsey conceded “it’s a bit early” to apply for bail, District Judge Eamon King asked what is the background to the series of offences.
Providing a brief synopsis, the officer said the offences of criminal damage were the first to have been committed.
It was around 17:30 when police received a report of damage being caused to a Volvo car and a house on the Keady Road.
A witness in that incident, told police she could identify Nixon as the culprit and the court heard it was around 9pm when the NIFRS alerted police to a petrol bomb attack at the Toby Jug Bar on Irish Street in Armagh.
Two customers sustained “significant burn injuries” and when officers attended the scene, investigations uncovered CCTV footage which captured the incident.
The detective told the court “there was a significant number of people in the premises,” including children, watching football and listening to traditional music.
The footage showed a man, allegedly Nixon, walking on Irish Street, carrying a white plastic bag and as this man crosses the road, he sets the bag down and lifts a bottle out of it.
Lighting the rag sticking out the top of the bottle, he steps into the bar and throws it “directly towards two people in the bar” and the footage shows “an orange glow” of flames as the assailant “walks calmly out of the bar and across the street.”
A number of children and adults can be seen fleeing from the bar and Nixon allegedly threatens them with a large knife he had pulled from his waistband.
Nixon was arrested later that evening, and the court heard police enquiries had also uncovered footage from a filling station where the 38-year-old dispensed £2.03 of petrol into what appeared to be a bottle.
During formal police interviews he refused to answer questions, the court heard.
Remanding Nixon into custody, Judge King adjourned the case for two weeks.
ENDS
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