17-YR-OLD HAD ASSAULT RIFLE AND BULLETS ON NIGHT PSNI MAN WAS SHOT, COURT TOLD; Boy accused of Const Carroll's murder and CIRA membership.

Byline: BY DAVID YOUNG 

A TEENAGER accused of murdering a policeman had an assault rifle and 26 bullets on the night of the killing, a court heard yesterday.

The 17-year-old boy appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court charged with the murder of 48-year-old Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon, Co Armagh, a fortnight ago.

Hours after the hearing, police said they had also charged a 37-year-old man with the murder.

As well as being charged with possession of the firearm with intent, the teen was also accused of being a member of the dissident republican group the Continuity IRA and collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded in custody to appear by a video link at a court in Craigavon next month.

Const Carroll, from Banbridge, Co Down, was shot dead while answering a call from a woman who had a brick thrown through her window.

He was shot in the back of the head as he sat in the driver's seat of an unmarked police car while his colleague approached the house.

His killing came two days after the Massereene murders of Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham and 21-year-old Patrick Azimkar from London.

There was heavy security around the court for yesterday's hearing.

Three other people remain in custody being questioned about the police officer's murder as do four suspects arrested over the murders of the two soldiers. The youth did not speak during his five-minute appearance in the dock yesterday.

The charge sheet read out in court stated that he was in possession of an AK assault rifle and 26 rounds of .762 calibre ammunition.

PSNI Detective Inspector John Cald well told District Judge Rosie Watters that he could link the accused with the charges.

Defence solicitor Paddy Moriarty asked him how long the youth had been held for and how many times he had been interviewed.

Det Insp Caldwell said the youth had been in custody for 13 days and the number of interviews conducted was in "the late teens".

The solicitor asked if his client had made any admission during these sessions.

The officer replied: "He refused to speak throughout."

Mr Moriarty said his client will be denying all the charges but made no application for bail.

CAPTION(S):

HEARING Teenage suspect led from court Lisburn Courthouse Yesterday; SECURITY Heavy police presence at Lisburn Magistrates Court and, inset, PC Stephen Carroll