Man accused of towpath killing
A 40-year-old Co Armagh man has been remanded into custody accused of the murder of Nathan Gibson in Craigavon last week. Paul John Joseph Whitla (right) appeared at Lisburn Magistrates Court yesterday morning. He will appear at Craigavon Magistrates Court on February 14. Mr Gibson was discovered by police fatally wounded on a towpath near Lake Road late on Thursday.
A CO Armagh man has been remanded into custody accused of murder.
Paul John Joseph Whitla appeared at Lisburn Magistrates Court yesterday morning.
Standing in the dock in a grey tracksuit and with a cut to his forehead, the 40-year-old, of no fixed address, was accused of the murder of Nathan Gibson on Thursday.
A PSNI constable said he believed he could connect Whitla to the charge.
As defence solicitor Gabriel Ingram confirmed he was not applying for bail, District Judge Rosie Watters remanded the alleged killer into custody.
He will appear at Craigavon Magistrates Court, via videolink, on February 14.
As Whitla was being taken to the cells, Mr Gibson’s partner Joanna Black stood up to watch him being led away while an older man shouted something indecipherable before being silenced by a friend.
None of the facts were heard in court yesterday but it is understood that Mr Gibson was discovered fatally wounded on a towpath near Lake Road in Craigavon late on Thursday.
The area was closed throughout Friday as police and forensics teams swept the area and the Legahory estate home of Mr Gibson was also cordoned off and under a heavy police presence.
Speaking following the murder, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said that police had received a report late on Thursday night that Mr Gibson had been attacked.
Officers responded and found him fatally wounded on the towpath and tragically, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Caldwell also said that police are investigating another incident in the Legahory Court area. “Whilst we cannot get into specific details of this incident we are also appealing to anyone who witnessed anyone acting in a suspicious manner in this area late last night [Thursday] to contact police,” he said.
He urged anyone with information to contact the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 1741 16/01/20.