A PSNI constable who was shot dead in Co Armagh by dissident republicans was lured to his death, the trial of
two men accused of his murder heard.
Constable Stephen Carroll (48) died of a single gunshot wound to the head as he sat in a police car while colleagues attended a 999 call in Craigavon on March 9th, 2009. The murder was claimed by the Continuity IRA.
A brick was thrown through the window of a house in Lismore Manor, prompting the occupants to ring the police.
Former Sinn Féin councillor Brendan McConville (40), and John Paul Wootton (20) both from Co Armagh, deny murdering Mr Carroll and possession of an AK47 assault rifle and ammunition.
Mr Wootton’s mother, Sharon Wootton (39), is also standing trial, accused of perverting the course of justice in relation to the subsequent police investigation of the shooting. She denies the charge.
On the opening day of the case at Belfast Crown Court, a prosecuting barrister told judge Lord Justice Paul Girvan that the plan was to murder any police officer that responded to the brick-throwing incident.
The shots were fired from a grassy bank about 50m away from the silver Skoda police car Mr Carroll was sitting in with another PSNI officer, he added.
The trial was due to open in Belfast Crown Court in December but was postponed after Ms Wootton applied to change her solicitors.
Constable Carroll, a grandfather with over 24 years' service with the police, was the first officer to be murdered since the changeover from the RUC to the PSNI.
His shooting, as he was responding to a 999 call near the end of his 12-hour shift, came just two days after dissident republicans murdered two soldiers outside Massareene barracks in Antrim as they took delivery of food from two pizza men.
Mr McConville, from Aldervale, Tullygally, and Mr Wootton and his mother, both from Collingdale, Craigavon, sat impassively in the dock as the trial opened.
Constable Carroll’s widow Kate sat yards away in the public gallery.
PA