Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
COURT TOLD MAN TRIED TO SMOTHER DYING DAD
Nurse halted ‘murder bid’ on victim
A MAN charged with attempting to murder his dying father allegedly said he could no longer watch him suffer, a court heard yesterday.
It’s claimed James Weir tried to suffocate the 90-year-old man last week after drinking beer and whisky at a nursing home.
Weir, 66, was granted bail on condition other relatives supervise future contact with his father. Police were called to Blair House Care Home in Newtownards, Co Down, on November 24 amid claims a nurse saw the accused holding a cushion over the alleged victim’s face.
The High Court heard she believed it had been an attempt to suffocate the elderly man and removed the cushion.
Prosecutor David Mcclean said the nurse claimed Weir told her he was sorry she had to witness an incident he thought had been the right thing to do for his father. He added: “He said he couldn’t watch his father suffering”
It was also alleged he told his sister: “I tried to smother daddy... the nurse pulled the pillow off.”
Weir, of Manor Street, North Belfast, was arrested and claimed he couldn’t remember the incident due to alcohol. Defence
HIGH COURT YESTERDAY
counsel Conan Rea stressed the family support the accused.
Granting bail, Mr Justice Mcalinden said: “My role is to try and protect a very vulnerable individual at the end of his life and allow his family the space to deal with their situation.”
My role is to protect a vulnerable individual at the end of his life
AN international crime gang with possible Triad links has had a £2million cannabis haul seized.
Police said 100kg of the drug were intercepted at various locations in Belfast on Thursday.
Four men aged 59, 46, 39 and 28, and a 34-year-old female were arrested in the south and east of the city
The suspects are from East Asia and mainly China.
Police do not believe the cannabis was “grown here, but imported”.
Det Supt Bobby Singleton described the seizure as a “great result” and the operation has interrupted a “trans-national organised crime group”.
He said: “This demonstrates our commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our communities.
“One line of inquiry is a potential link to a Triad organised crime gang and another is potential links to paramilitary groups.”