Man remanded in custody over dissident feud shooting charge
John-Jo Lynch, 24, is accused of the attempted murder of a man who was shot as he sat inside a taxi in February 2025.
A Belfast man has been remanded in custody over a shooting amid a dissident republican feud.
John-Jo Lynch, 24, of Springfield Road, Belfast, is accused of the attempted murder of a man in the west of the city last year.
A 49-year-man was shot several times as he sat inside a taxi on the morning of February 23 2025 in the Bell Steel Manor area.
Mr Lynch appeared at the city’s magistrate’s court on Thursday afternoon.
He is charged with the attempted murder as well as two counts of possession of a firearm.
He is charged with possession of a Biakal handgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, and possession of a Walther handgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause.
Mr Lynch indicated he understood the charge when put to him.
A police officer said they believed they could connect the accused to the charges.
A prosecutor told the court that that four shots were fired, two shots hit the man in the car on the upper left shoulder and chest area, and two were lodged in the vehicle.
The victim has described seeing one male in dark clothing shooting at him, and a second male wearing a high visibility yellow jacket, and sustained serious injuries including fractures of his left collar bone, left shoulder blade and soft tissue damage.
Police believe the shooting to be part of an ongoing feud within the dissident republican group Óglaigh na hÉireann (ÓNH).
The prosecutor said police had not identified the two gunmen until this week, but had extensive CCTV footage of them approaching the scene, and after the attempted murder leaving the scene.
Items, including the high-visibility yellow jacket, a gun barrel and two vapes, were found by police in a bin bag in an alleyway close to the scene of the shooting.
The prosecutor said DNA from Mr Lynch had been found to match that on a high-vis jacket, gun barrel and the vapes found in a bin bag at the scene.
Police released some of the CCTV footage in a bid to find a man whose face could be seen in the footage, and the court heard officers received “numerous amounts of information” that that man was Mr Lynch.
He was arrested on October 28, and police obtained a DNA profile, which was found to be a match for the DNA found on the jacket, vapes and the gun barrel.
He was described as having been interviewed five times, and did not provide an account of his DNA being on the items before he was charged.
“Strenuous” objections to bail were outlined, including an alleged risk of re-offending, concern for his safety due to the ONH feud and a risk of failing to appear for trial.
“Given these tensions, police believe there is a serious risk that Mr Lynch would continue to involve himself in further violence involving the use of firearms,” they said.
“Police are very concerned about retribution against him, and information that police are aware of, does indicate that members of the ONH group are aware that Mr Lynch has now been linked to the attack.”
A defence solicitor said while he appreciated the gravity of the case, he outlined an argument for bail.
He contended nearly all the prosecution’s objections to bail stem from the gravity of the alleged offences which is not by itself a basis to refuse bail.
He said Lynch had a reputable decorating business with two employees, and a “string of work lined up”.
He also pointed out the length of time likely before the trial, and said there is no evidential basis to believe he would abscond, adding he has custody of his young daughter three days a week, and is very active in care for his 93-year-old grandmother who has dementia.
The judge refused bail, and said: “People who come before the court who are alleged to be involved in offending of this extremely serious nature, and to be part of an ongoing dissident feud must know that their liberty is at stake.
“People who have access to guns and weapons must understand that their chances of being released on bail will not be great.
“I think that there is a risk of re-offending given that I’m told there is an ongoing dissident feud… there is also, in my view, a very high risk to public safety and that includes the defendant’s own safety.”
The case is next set to be mentioned on November 19.