Voice expert links Hoey to Omagh bombing

A voice expert has stood by her conclusion that it was "more likely than not" that Sean Hoey (36) had made a call warning about…

A voice expert has stood by her conclusion that it was "more likely than not" that Sean Hoey (36) had made a call warning about a bomb planted by the Real IRA which exploded in Banbridge, Co Down a few weeks before the August 1998 Omagh massacre.

Dr Frederica Holmes compared the voice on a tape of that call with a tape of a police interview with Hoey and a tape of a phone call he made from prison while in custody.

On the second day of committal proceedings in Belfast against Hoey, Dr Holmes said that she stood by her conclusion that the same person was involved all three recordings.

The court heard that another voice expert, Dr Peter French, carried out similar tests on the tapes and had only been able to say there was an "open possibility" the recordings were the same man.

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However, Dr Holmes told Belfast Magistrates Court she respected Dr French but stood by her more positive judgment that the warning call had been made by Hoey.

She also rejected claims by defence barrister, Martin O'Rourke, that the recording of the bomb call had been too poor to analyse.

"It was relatively poor but adequate. I was able to assess the recording was suitable for analysis," she said.

Hoey has been charged with 61 terrorist and explosives offences including the murders of the 29 people slaughtered in the Omagh bombing which also injured hundreds more.

PA