Boy, 15, in court over Dungannon petrol bomb attack

A court has heard allegations a 15-year-old boy charged with a petrol bomb attack on a house in Dungannon was shouting: “Burn the house down and kill the kids.”

A couple and a six-week-old baby and five-year-old child escaped injury in the incident in the Killymaddy Hill area shortly after 9pm on Sunday.

Omagh Magistrates’ Court heard that the couple heard a smash and then a small explosion.

A police officer told the court a Moses basket at the front door caught fire in the incident and that it could have had a child inside.

The family were forced to leave the property.

The 15-year-old accused of involvement cannot be identified because of his age.

He and a 34-year-old co-accused – James Murray, from Windmill Court in Dungannon – face a total of 17 charges between them, including arson.

It was claimed in court that the accused arrived at the property and told the woman inside: “We’re from the Ponda Mafia.”

They then allegedly threatened to burn the house down.

The police officer told the court the incident may have been part of an ongoing feud.

Bail was refused and the accused were both remanded in custody to appear before the court again, via video link, next month.