Sylvia Fleming murderer Stephen Scott licence revoked over firearm charge

The Department of Justice has revoked the life licence of a “thoroughly evil” killer who murdered and dismembered his girlfriend more than 20 years ago, a court has been told.

Defence counsel Patrick Taylor confirmed to Lisburn Magistrates' Court on Monday he was not applying for bail on behalf of 51-year-old Stephen Peter Scott because “his licence has been revoked”.

Scott, with an address on the Garvaghy Road in Dromara, did not appear at court for the brief mention of the case against him.

The former fireman turned sadistic killer faces an allegation that “having been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three years or more purchased, acquired or had in your possession a firearm or ammunition.” When Scott was initially charged last Monday, the court heard that according to Scott, he had been “working on a farm and he had been asked by his employer to try to get weaponry to deal with vermin on the farm” but by doing so, he breached the terms of his licence.

DC Keys said that having spoken to Scott’s boss: “I’m not sure that he has been directed to get a firearm, possibly he was asked to build a firearm for vermin control but he was in control of quite a lot of ammunition.” On Monday, District Judge Rosie Watters remanded Scott back into custody and adjourned the case to 24 April. Sylvia Fleming, 17, was pregnant when she was murdered and her body dismembered in Omagh in 1998 by Stephen Scott Her body parts were found under the foundations of a partially-built house eight weeks later and sentencing Scott in 2000, the judge described him as "thoroughly evil" and ordered him to serve at least 19 years of his life sentence. He said: "The manner in which her body was disposed of after her murder is surely the most gruesome.

"I am satisfied that you, Scott, not only deliberately killed this young girl but that you planned that killing and carried it out in circumstances so squalid that they would revolt any right-thinking person."

Scott was later released on licence in 2017.

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