Father and son accused of involvement in death threats to west Belfast man

A father and son have appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court accused of threatening to kill a man who was shot in the head in the west of the city. Edward McKay, 50, and his 18-year-old son also called Edward, who both live at Shaws Court, west Belfast, stand accused of making telephone threats to the victim who was in his 40s on Monday.

He was critically injured when he was shot in a car in Rossnareen Avenue on Thursday. Bail has been granted for both men, but they will remain in custody as the prosecution is due to lodge an appeal. A detective involved in the case told the court that a man had phones the mobile phone of the victim's wife with the threat to the victim, "I'm putting one in the back of your head." The wife told detectives that she recognised the voice of McKay Snr.

The victim, who the court was told is a member of the travelling community, remains in a critical condition in hospital. The two members of the McKay family dent making threats to kill and their defence barrister indicated that they both have alibis to place them elsewhere during the attack. The court was told that the father was seen on CCTV at the time of the alleged crime and that his son was at home with his girlfriend.

The judge had said that the hearing could not continue and had agreed to release both men on bail instructing them to wear tags, report on a daily basis to police and observe a curfew at their family home until the prosecution had informed him of the appeal.