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| Farmer admits playground shooting | Farmer admits playground shooting |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A farmer has admitted that he shot a five-year-old boy in the head at a school playground near Enniskillen more than two years ago. | A farmer has admitted that he shot a five-year-old boy in the head at a school playground near Enniskillen more than two years ago. |
| At a court hearing in June, Fergus Cleary, 73, of Ballydoolagh Road, Garvary, denied unlawfully and maliciously wounding Darragh Somers. | |
| But it has emerged that at a hearing last week, he pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced on 13 November. | But it has emerged that at a hearing last week, he pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced on 13 November. |
| Darragh was critically injured and spent two months in hospital. | Darragh was critically injured and spent two months in hospital. |
| He was shot in the back of the head as he played at St Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea in April 2005. | He was shot in the back of the head as he played at St Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea in April 2005. |
| Darragh returned to school four months after he was shotSurgeons carried out two major operations to remove the .22 rifle bullet from his head. | Darragh returned to school four months after he was shotSurgeons carried out two major operations to remove the .22 rifle bullet from his head. |
| Cleary was arrested two months after the shooting. | Cleary was arrested two months after the shooting. |
| In a surprise move, his defence team requested the case come before a judge in Dungannon last week. | In a surprise move, his defence team requested the case come before a judge in Dungannon last week. |
| It was at that hearing, with no journalists or members of the Somers family present, that he pleaded guilty. | It was at that hearing, with no journalists or members of the Somers family present, that he pleaded guilty. |
| Darragh's father, Gerald Somers, said he had mixed emotions when he heard the news. | Darragh's father, Gerald Somers, said he had mixed emotions when he heard the news. |
| "Thankfully there's no trial - he's admitted it and put everything to rest, but at the same time he could have admitted it a long time ago," he said. | "Thankfully there's no trial - he's admitted it and put everything to rest, but at the same time he could have admitted it a long time ago," he said. |