Omagh man Gavin Coyle has sentence increased for role in IRA attempted murder of police officer

Gavin Coyle has had his sentence increased to eight years Credit: Pacemaker

The Court of Appeal has increased the sentence handed to a man in connection with the attempted murder of a police officer in Co Tyrone.

Gavin Coyle, 46, from Omagh, was sentenced to six years for IRA membership and providing a car used by terrorists.

However, that sentence has now been increased to eight years after the court ruled it had been unduly lenient.

That car was used in an operation to plant a bomb under the car of a serving police officer in May 2008.

The Tyrone brigade of the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the attack.

The bomb exploded as the officer drove to work. The officer survived but was left with what has been described as permanent, disfiguring injuries.

Coyle will spent two-thirds of the sentence in prison and the remainder on licence.

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