LARNE MURDER
ACCUSED SAID ‘I’M SORRY FOR WHAT I DID’, COURT HEARS
A 39-YEAR-OLD male has made a “full and frank admission” to causing the death of Larne man Laurence Shaw, a court has heard.
Jackie McDowell, of Upper Waterloo Road in Larne, appeared at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The body of Mr Shaw (56, right) was found in his bungalow at Hillmount Gardens in the town’s Seacourt estate earlier this month.
McDowell is charged with murdering Mr Shaw on Sunday, October 8. The accused appeared to stumble as he entered the court and then sat in a wheelchair outside the dock.
There was a heavy police presence around the court.
A PSNI officer said she believed she could connect the accused to the charge.
Mr Shaw was the son of Margaret and the late Francis and brother of Rose, John, Margaret, Rebecca, Karen and the late Francy. Requiem Mass for Mr Shaw, who was an avid football fan, was held at St Anthony’s Church in Larne, followed by burial in the town.
At yesterday’s court, defence solicitor Andrew Kinney asked the detective constable: “Is it correct that he accepted responsibility for the death of Mr Shaw and made a full and frank admission to everything that happened?”
The police officer confirmed that was the case.
Mr Kinney also put it to the detective that his client had “expressed, at all times, remorse and disgust at his own behaviour” and was in “visible distress” by what had happened.
The solicitor confirmed it was a case which could be “fast tracked”.
District Judge Peter King noted the reply from McDowell on the charge sheet which said: “I’m sorry for what I did.”
There was no application for bail and McDowell was remanded in custody to appear before the court via video link on November 16.