Stalled start to McCartney murder trial
By Victoria O’Hara
Belfast Telegraph
Tuesday 13, May 2008
The trial of the man accused of murdering east Belfast father Robert McCartney is due to begin today after it was adjourned for 24 hours.
The case is scheduled to start at 11am at Belfast Crown Court.
Terence Malachy Davison (51) is accused of murdering the Short Strand father-of-two who was beaten and stabbed to death outside Magennis’s bar in Belfast on January 30, 2005. Davison also faces a charge of causing an affray on the same date.
James McCormick (47) has also been charged with causing an affray and a third man, 39-year-old Joseph Gerard Emmanuel Fitzpatrick, is also facing a charge of causing an affray and assaulting Edward Gowdy on the same date.
The case against the three men had been due to be opened by Crown prosecutor Gordon Kerr QC yesterday.
However, an application was made to Lord Justice Higgins by Davison’s defence team who requested the opening of the case be deferred until today.
He described the adjournment as “regrettable”, but said he had no alternative but to agree to the request. All three accused have denied the charges against them. A High Court order has banned the press from disclosing their addresses.
Mr McCartney’s five sisters and fianc£e Bridgeen Hagans attended the hearing.
