A 39-year-old Armagh man has denied all eight charges arising from an alleged petrol bomb attack at The Toby Jug bar in the city centre, where two patrons were reportedly seriously injured.
John Patrick Nixon, whose address was listed as Maghaberry Prison, appeared before Newry Crown Court to be arraigned. He confirmed his name and date of birth before entering a not guilty plea to each charge.
Charges linked to August incident
The charges relate to a series of alleged incidents in Armagh on August 18, 2025. They include two counts of attempted murder, arson endangering life with intent, throwing a petrol bomb, possessing a petrol bomb in suspicious circumstances, possessing a knife in a public place and two counts of criminal damage.
The alleged attack at The Toby Jug, on Irish Street, is at the centre of the case. Police previously told the court that a man entered the premises, shouted trick or treat and threw a lit petrol bomb directly towards two people inside.
The report states that children were also present in the bar at the time. Two people were reported to have suffered significant burn injuries in the incident.
Other alleged damage
The two criminal-damage charges concern alleged damage to a car window and a property window belonging to two separate complainants. The source states that all the other matters relate to the alleged incident at The Toby Jug in Armagh on August 18, 2025.
Nixon’s appearance was an arraignment, during which the charges were put to him. His not-guilty pleas mean the allegations remain matters for the court to determine.
Psychiatric report and next court dates
Defence counsel Mr Lindsay told the court that a psychiatric report had been sought for Nixon. A review was scheduled for December 16, while His Honour Judge Paul Ramsey listed the trial for February 1, 2027.
The case remains before the Crown Court. No finding of guilt has been made against Nixon.
