Simon Coveney attack accused runs gym in County Derry

A 40-year-old man charged in connection with an attack on Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney in Belfast last week runs a gym in County Derry.

Darren Service, with an address given as Ballysillan Road, Belfast, appeared in court last week charged with three offences linked to the hoax bomb alert at the Houben Centre in the city on March 25.

The defendant was charged with the hijacking of a Ford Transit Van and a further offence of placing ‘an article in the vicinity of Holy Cross Church, 432 Crumlin Road, Belfast, with the intention of inducing in some other person a belief that it was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property’.

Defence for Service said his client owned three gyms, one of which is Riverside Fitness at Riverside Park North in Coleraine.

The defendant is listed on Companies House as being appointed director of the company in July 2020 alongside one other man.

A similar entry on Companies House lists another business, Causeway Fitness Limited at the same address as Riverside Fitness Limited.

The defendant is the only named director, appointed in February 2020.

A third business, AB Fitness Limited with a registered address of Belfast Road, Carrickfergus, also lists Service as a director, appointed in February 2021.

Last week, the court was told the defendant had applied for 'three bounce back loans to the sum of £150,000' which were offered to businesses as a result of the pandemic.

Service was remanded in custody to appear in court again in four weeks' time.

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The defendant has been handed 200 hours of community service.