Man from Omagh pleads guilty to offences linked to May 2023 Omagh police station hoax
A 33-year-old man from Culmore Park, Omagh, has admitted several offences in connection with a hoax device brought to Omagh police station last May, Belfast Crown Court heard on Monday.
The defendant, identified in court as Sean Pearson, pleaded guilty to four counts arising from the incident on 6 May 2023. The charges include compelling another person to convey a suspected bomb device to the police station, placing an article in a vehicle with the intention of causing a bomb hoax, possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and stealing a mobile phone.
The incident was said to have begun in the Drumragh area of County Tyrone on the evening of Saturday 6 May 2023, when a vehicle was allegedly hijacked by three masked men and the motorist forced, at gunpoint, to drive a device to the PSNI station on the Derry Road in Omagh. Several nearby homes were evacuated before officers subsequently declared the object an elaborate hoax device.
In court, Mr Justice Fowler was told Mr Pearson was re‑arraigned on the four charges. When asked how he pleaded, the defendant replied:
"guilty."
The barrister representing the defendant, Gavan Duffy KC, confirmed a pre‑sentence report had been ordered. Addressing the judge about bail, Mr Duffy said his client:
"has been under very strict terms of bail for quite some time now and had abided by those."
Mr Justice Fowler granted bail until the following day, when he will fix a date for the plea and sentence.
- Location: Omagh PSNI station, Derry Road
- Date of incident: 6 May 2023
- Defendant: 33‑year‑old man from Culmore Park, Omagh
- Next court step: Plea and sentence date to be fixed following bail
Charges and court procedure
The four admissions recorded in court cover a range of serious offences. They reflect both the alleged coercion of a third party to transport the device to a police building and offences involving a weapon and theft. The court heard no detailed account of the events beyond the charges and the broad outline that has previously been reported concerning the hijacking and the subsequent evacuation of nearby properties.
| Charge | Plea entered |
|---|---|
| Compelling 'Witness A' to convey a hoax device to Omagh PSNI | Guilty |
| Placing an article in a vehicle with intention of causing a bomb hoax | Guilty |
| Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence | Guilty |
| Robbery of a mobile phone from 'Witness A' | Guilty |
Under Northern Ireland's court procedures, a pre‑sentence report will inform the judge on matters such as the defendant's background, any mitigation, and the potential for rehabilitation. Defence counsel indicated medical reports were being sought and argued their preparation would be assisted if the defendant remained on continuing bail.
Community safety concerns were heightened at the time of the incident when residents close to the police station were evacuated while officers examined the suspected device. The object was later declared to be a hoax. No further details of the hijacking incident were disclosed in court on Monday.
The judge’s decision to grant short‑term bail reflects the limited information available in open court today and the outstanding procedural steps required before sentence is passed. A sentencing date will be fixed at the next court appearance.
The case remains a reminder of the disruption and alarm such incidents cause in local communities and the role of the criminal justice system in addressing offences that put public safety at risk.
