'You've Got The Wrong Brother' Says Man Up In Court

A man in the dock of Londonderry Magistrates Court today claimed he was actually the accused's brother.

Martin Michael McDonagh, of Daisyfield caravan site, Letterkenny Road, faces 10 offences including having a .22 rifle.

But when the court clerk asked the man in the dock today to confirm his name, he said he was Ned McDonagh, Martin's brother.

When asked to confirm his date of birth as March 2 1987, he said his date of birth was August 10 1988.

But a police constable gave evidence to the court saying he was sure the man in the dock was Martin Michael.

He said: "The man known as Ned McDonagh has a tattoo of Ned and Lizzie on his right shoulder. He also has a tattoo of a crucifix on his chest.

"The man in the dock has no such tattoos."

The officer said he had checked PSNI and Garda records as well as liaising with Garda to establish that the man in the dock was Martin Michael.

He said that DNA and fingerprint investigations were continuing, but that the injured party in the case had identified the man as Martin Michael McDonagh.

He and the defence solicitor Michael Magee both said that the brothers, who according to the officer share a "strong physical similarity", have swapped identities in the past.

Mr Magee applied for bail, saying the man in the dock insisted he was Ned McDonagh, and he denied all the charges.

But the District Judge remanded Mr McDonagh in custody until August 23, saying it would be inappropriate to consider bail when the person's identity was contested.

(NE)