The attempted murder case of former senior police officer John Caldwell has faced another delay, with a judge expressing serious concern over repeated setbacks in moving the case toward trial.

More than 20 men are charged in connection with the shooting at the Youth Sport centre in Omagh in February 2023. Mr Caldwell was shot several times but survived and has since retired from the PSNI.

At Omagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the Public Prosecution Service said only 16 per cent of CCTV footage had been processed for disclosure to defence teams, a key step before committal proceedings can be fixed. Two dedicated officers are undertaking the work at Strand Road police station in Derry.

The prosecutor cited 'events over the weekend' as a further cause for delay. District Judge Conor Heaney said he was 'very concerned' and noted that since the case had been before Omagh courthouse, the PPS had repeatedly pushed back the committal date. He questioned why only two officers were assigned to process 1,400 pieces of footage and why the work was limited to Strand Road station.

Judge Heaney said the frequent delays not only affected the expedition of a prompt trial for all defendants but also impacted witnesses and the alleged victim. The case is due back in court on October 13 for a further update, with the judge indicating he would keep a close eye on progression.