Ian Ogle murder accused denied variation of bail to live within mile of killing
ONE of the men charged with murdering community worker Ian Ogle has been denied permission to live within a mile of the scene of the killing.
Jonathan Brown (34) is currently on bail at an undisclosed location over his alleged involvement in the fatal attack in east Belfast in January 2019.
He was seeking to vary those terms so he could spend more time with his partner for family reasons.
But police opposed the application at Belfast Magistrates Court, claiming it could exacerbate community tensions.
Concerns were also raised about ongoing intimidation towards the victim’s family.
Mr Ogle (45) was beaten and stabbed to death near his home at Cluan Place.
The attack, which took place during a long-running feud, was said to have lasted for around 30 seconds.
Previous courts were told he is believed to have been targeted in response to an altercation earlier the same night.
A number of men arrived at the scene, allegedly launched the fatal assault and then escaped. Brown and two other men, 41-year-old Mark Sewell and Glenn Rainey (34), are to be prosecuted for murder.
The trio’s current addresses cannot be published due to suspected paramilitary death threats.
District Judge George Conner was told Brown wanted to live for a period of time at another location with his partner.
Defence counsel Tom Mccreanor said: “His preference would be to reside there for an indeterminate period... to provide practical help.”
Although the proposed new address is still outside an exclusion zone, a detective stressed: “It’s still within a mile of the scene of the murder of Mr Ogle.”
He added: “There have been ongoing problems with intimidation and threats (to) the Ogle family in the area.
“They would feel very concerned if one of the people recently told he will be prosecuted for murder was to return to the area.”
Brown is not connected in any way to the alleged intimidation, the detective acknowledged.
Following submissions Mr Conner refused to allow the defendant to live at the proposed new address.
He did, however, agree to a curfew extension.
Brown is due back in court with his two co-accused next month.