A farmer today denied shooting a boy in a Northern Ireland school playground.
Fergus Cleary (72) has been charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Darragh Somers in Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
The child, then aged five, was hit in the back of the head as he played at St Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea, in April 2005.
Surgeons carried out two major operations to remove a rifle bullet from his skull before he recovered and was released from hospital.
Mr Cleary, of Ballydoolagh Road in Garvary, outside Enniskillen, pleaded not guilty at Dungannon Crown Court today.
His barrister told the court his client's wife, who could have accounted for his movements on the day of the shooting, had died in the intervening period.
He stressed that his client was only returned for trial three weeks ago and claimed there was no obvious reason for the two-year hiatus.
The judge listed the case for September 20th in Omagh Crown Court to deal further with the issues raised by the defence.