01/03/2016 BBC Newsline

The case against a man accused of murdering 29 people

in the Real IRA bombing in Omagh has collapsed.

Seamus Daly, from Jonesborough in County Armagh,

This report from our home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney.

Seamus Daly was released from Maghaberry prison this afternoon. He

was not happy to be greeted by the media. He's spent almost two years

in custody charged with the Omagh bombing and other offences. He was

in court in all my last week for a hearing to decide if there is enough

evidence for the case against him to present. Today a prosecution lawyer

announced that the actor to that question was not. The case was built

on evidence from a witness. A judge who heard evidence about the case

last week was due to announce today if it would continue, but the

decision was taken out of his hands when a lawyer said the case no

longer met the test for prosecution. The prosecution had relied on a star

witness to link Seamus Healy to mobile phone used widely Omagh

bombers. During court hearings last week he conceded that he may have

been misleading and that the call could have taken place a week

earlier. At that point the prosecuted case effectively fell

apart. Relatives of some of those who were killed in the Omagh bombing

were in court when it was announced that the charges against Seamus Daly

were being withdrawn. Afterwards they said they were frustrated and

angry. We just feel this was the last chance for justice for,, and

that is no over. -- for Omagh, and that is no over. It is very

difficult to deal with. They also said they had had serious concerns

about the key witness and question the decision to take the case to

court on the basis of his evidence. If these people have read all the

statements and compared them, I don't know, I think they are in the

wrong job. Seamus Daly's solicitor also questioned the decision to take

the case to court and said that the prosecution service and police have

questions to answer. prosecution service and police have

against the defendant Seamus Daly was based on a house of straw. 29

people were killed when a bomb weighing almost one quarter of

devastated Omagh town centre in August 19 88.

devastated Omagh town centre in were also injured in the blast just

four months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. No one has

been convicted of involvement Good Friday Agreement. No one has

attack and relatives of those killed Good Friday Agreement. No one has

don't believe anyone ever will be. The public

don't believe anyone ever will be. there are no ongoing lines of

enquiry and no indications that the police intend to submit any new

finds at this stage. Nearly 18 years after the single worst atrocity

finds at this stage. Nearly 18 years the troubles, the likelihood of

convicting the killer more remote than ever.

Many relatives now believe this will be the last time anyone appears

in court accused of carrying out the Omagh bombing.

The Director of Public Prosecutions said he had great sympathy

with the families and shared their disappointment.

Among those killed was 16-year-old Alan Radford.

His sister Claire spoke to us earlier.

I was 15 when it happened. I was Robert, as I would say, of my youth

-- I was robbed. It has consumed so much of family life, from my mum to

my sisters, the rest of them, it consumes so much of our time that 18

years has been doubling. Personally I think that if the last man that

will be within the court. The sense of justice has never really been

there for myself and the majority of my family feel the same. So it is

just moving on from this to know that there is never going to be a

definite closure or a definite conviction is... Really just have to

leave it and be able to... I wouldn't say except it, but to be

able just to live with it. -- I wouldn't say I accept it.

A man's been killed in a house fire in County Down.

It happened on the Legannany Road in Loughbrickland this afternoon.

It's believed to have been accidental.

Police investigating the murder of Stephen Carson in South Belfast

last Thursday have charged a 39-year-old man with possession

of a firearm in suspicious circumstances.

The 28-year-old was shot at his house in Walmer Street

in front of his partner and young son.

at Belfast Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

Two men appeared in court today charged with murder.

The DUP MP Sammy Wilson has been filmed appearing to agree

with the comment "get the ethnics out."

Mr Wilson was taking part in a BBC Spotlight programme

when he had a conversation with a man off-camera.

Last month Sammy Wilson and I were filming for tonight's BBC Spotlight

documentary about the EU referendum. Sammy Wilson, who was wearing a

personal microphone, had a conversation with a member of the

public out of my earshot. They were doing a programme of on the BBC

about staying in the European Union. I'm going round talking to people. I

say get out of it. Get the Fx out too. Absolutely. Spot asked the man

while he appear to agree with the man's comment. He said they were

having a laugh. He said I am not prepared to spend any more time

giving interviews responding to the buyer 's political slant of your

programme. -- the biased political slant. Make Nesbitt said he found

the exchange stomach churning. In a statement this morning the DUP said

that the phrase was disgraceful and it this associated the party from

the member of the public's comment. This afternoon Sammy Wilson said he

was agreeing with the man's comment on the European Union and not with

what he said about ethnic minorities. I agree with the comment

he made about leaving the EU. I was not agreeing with the comments which

he made about the ethnic communities. I don't have anything

to withdraw, because I didn't agree with them. Tonight's spotlight is on

BBC One at 10:45pm. You may have seen pictures

of the continuing demolition of shelters in the migrant

camp in Calais. We've been talking to a family

from Portadown who spent a week The family, who travelled

with a church group, included four children,

one of them aged nine. BBC Newsline's Tara Mills has been

talking to the family A child's body abandoned, unable to

continue its journey because of the deep mud. -- a child's pram

abandoned. It was a normal life that this family left, including the

youngest child Michael who is only nine. It was scary seeing everybody

in the tense and all the snow. It wasn't very nice to see all the

things on the ground, very muddy. I was very sad for them. It felt good

to help them. I give them water and tea and Coffey. We got to play with

another boy. His name was Sam. Mum Pauline defended the decision to

take her. Children can do a lot. Because of her dad has been out

before before Christmas time and knew it was safe for us all to go

out, I was quite happy. Plus I always had her by my side. I didn't

let her go for a minute. The family travelled in their camper van and

said it was invaluable. It became an makeshift soup kitchen and a place

for people to sit and talk. Sadly it was the camp they visited which was

partially dismantled yesterday, something the family finds deeply

upsetting. One thing is certain - everyone in the family says they

will go back. Michael said she cannot stop thinking about the

friend she made. -- Nicole. Thinking about where they have got to sleep,

and I have got a bed. It's clear the plight of the refugees has deeply

affected this family and they say they are not prepared to sit back

and do nothing. An East Belfast Mum says her

seriously ill daughter's dreams came true today when pop star

Adele visited the family home. The multi-award-winning singer

was in the city tonight Tracy Gibney says her daughter

Rebecca is one of her biggest fans. Lisa McAlister has

been to meet them. # Hello from the other side...

12-year-old Rebecca Gibney has several life limiting conditions

including cerebral palsy, epilepsy and blindness. But she loves

listening to music, particularly at Dell. -- Adele. Her response will be

smiles. She is trying to move her mouth. She lobs and Dell's voice. If

I put something else on she goes in and read. She has loved Adele for

about five, six years now. She was in the hairdressers this afternoon

when the singer's manager called and said she would be in their house in

an hour. She told me I was really good mother. She played with

Rebecca, said hello, it's Adele. I'll never forget it, and I do know.

When Rebecca passes away, she did get her dream come true, and

When Rebecca passes away, she did made me feel I am the best mum in

the world, which I never felt. I can't believe it. Adele also invited

Tracy and her other daughter to the concert tonight at her guests. ID to

remember for all the Gibneys. -- day to remember.

Now finally onto the weather outlook with Cecilia Daly.

Tonight's weather dominated by storm Jake. Warnings are now in force for

snow and ice across Northern Ireland. Initially lying snow across

Northern counties, but by the end of the night there could be a covering

almost anywhere. The most significant falls likely over higher

ground, but likely to be icy in many places. Don't be surprised if you

wake up to some snow cover just about anywhere. Significant snow

likely over higher gross particularly in Derry and Antrim. It

will improve as the morning goes on and become less wintry over the

second half of the day. Warnings across parts of Scotland and

northern England. Strong winds across Northern Ireland drifting

down and then easing later on. It will feel cold everywhere with a

biting North westerly wind. Showers across Northern Ireland will turn

more to sleet and rain as the day goes on. Feeling colder in the

strong winds. They will ease on Wednesday night. Not bad on

Thursday. Sunshine and light winds for a while before the next weather

system later, bringing a mix of rain and possibly sleet and held snow for

a while too. Overall staying quite cold, wintry at times. There is the

probably the best of the next few days.

I'm Vincent Kearney, I'm home affairs correspondent

Home affairs covers a huge range of subjects.