Man in court charged with attempted murder of police officer

A man has appeared at Downpatrick Magistrate's Court charged with the attempted murder of a police officer.

36-year-old Conor Carey is from the Glassheena Road area of the town.

He is also charged with two counts of aggravated vehicle taking causing injury and driving without insurance.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective inspector confirmed to the court he could connect Carey to the charges.

The charges come after a police officer was knocked down by a stolen police car in Downpatrick on Sunday.

The officer, who fired one round from his gun, was seriously injured in the incident which happened in the early hours of Sunday.

A solicitor for Carey questioned the detective inspector giving evidence about the injuries sustained by the constable during the incident.

He put it to the court that those injuries were not as "significant" as at first thought.

The court heard the injuries are not life threatening but are serious and include a broken wrist, a crushing injury to the officer's leg, injuries to his head, and cuts and bruises.

The officer is still receiving medical treatment and remains in hospital.

A solicitor for the accused asked the detective inspector in court if another person had been arrested for attempted murder in this case before Carey.

The detective said: "I don't believe he was arrested for attempted murder, no."

The solicitor said that Carey strenuously denies any involvement in this matter.

No bail application was made and he was remanded into custody to appear again on 18 June.

A man appeared at Downpatrick Magistrates' Court on Monday in relation to the same incident.

Kieran Turley, 27, from Vianstown Road in Downpatrick, was charged with dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle with no insurance.