Men wanted for attempted murder of PSNI officer raise constitutional rights concerns

Two Dublin men wanted in Northern Ireland for the alleged attempted murder of a PSNI officer have sought access to documents relating to their arrest and detention in County Donegal. Ciaran Maguire, aged 29, and Sean Paul Farrell, aged 32, face charges of attempted murder and possession of explosive substances with intent to endanger life, offences carrying potential life sentences. The men were arrested in Donegal in June following an incident in which an improvised explosive device was discovered at a police officer's residence. Their legal representatives told the High Court they require disclosure of all materials gathered during their detention to challenge whether evidence was obtained unlawfully under Irish law before any extradition hearing proceeds. The State's counsel disputed characterising the applications as substantive, describing them instead as exploratory requests. Mr Justice Donald Binchy indicated he would deliver a written judgment by 26 November and granted each man senior counsel representation for their December extradition hearing.