Hammer attack accused remanded in custody for breaching bail conditions

Ballymena Magistrates Court heard that as part of his bail conditions, 37-year-old Gary Stephen Herron is barred from having any device to access the internet but his alleged victim noticed that his Facebook profile was frequently showing an “active” status.

Giving evidence to the court, a police officer outlined how their investigations ascertained that profile had been accessed several times since July by using a Virtual Private Network.

Police investigations also established the VPN was linked to several internet provider addresses and following the trial, police were able to trace them back to Herron’s home at Woodland Grove in Antrim.

On an indictment covering a time span between 1 march 2022 and 16 February 2023, Herron faces allegations of attempting to inflict GBH with intent, possessing a hammer with intent to cause GBH, possessing an offensive weapon, making a threat to damage property, engaging in an abusive course of behaviour and supplying a class A drug, namely MDMA.

He is due two face a Crown Court trial next year.

In court today (sat) District Judge Francis Rafferty highlighted that using a VPN makes the internet path “untraceable” but Herron’s solicitor submitted that the defendant may not have had exclusive use of the phone which as used to access the web.

Appearing at court by videolink from police custody and wearing a police issue grey tracksuit, Herron claimed that his sister had also been living at the address and had used the phone.

He claimed she had moved out “in August or September” but DJ Rafferty told the court the profile had been accessed on dates outside of that.

While the solicitor said there was “no question” that Herron had tried to contact the complainant but as the officer emphasised, “that’s not the condition - the condition is not to have access to any device capable of accessing the internet.”

Refusing to free Herron, DJ Rafferty remanded the defendant into custody and suggested that when the case is brought before Antrim Crown Court, “it maybe an idea to have his sister there.”