Three men accused of murdering Shane Whitla in Lurgan appear in Craigavon Magistrates Court

The three men, who appeared separately via video link from Maghaberry Prison, were Jake O’Brien, aged 27, from Church Walk in Lurgan, who is accused of murdering Shane Whitla and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life; Joshua Cotter, aged 29, from Madrid Street in Belfast and Kevin Conway, aged 25, of Deeny Drive in Lurgan, both accused of murdering Mr Whitla.

Mr Whitla, aged 39 and father of four children, was found dead in Lord Lurgan Park on January 12. Police said he was shot in an alleyway off Woodville Street but had made his way to the park where he died from gun shot wounds, including one to the back.

The court heard a prosecuting lawyer said a full file on the three men is not due until March 6 and asked that the case be adjourned for four weeks.

In relation to Conway, the detective constable said: “This is a live murder investigation and the firearm still has not been located. There must be an effective mechanism in place to effectively monitor the applicant and make sure he complies with any bail conditions. As yet I have not been supplied with a suitable bail address.”

Conway’s barrister said that a bail address had been supplied on Thursday night, adding that the bail address is Damolly village, Newry.

District Judge Bernie Kelly said that address would need to be checked before she could consider the application.

The barrister said he wanted to raise issues with the police in relation to the evidence connecting Mr Conway. The District Judge said she wasn’t in a position to entertain the bail application until there is a starting point of an address approved by police. The police would need time to check that address out so adjourned the case against Conway for a week.

Cotter also applied for bail to his father’s home in Belfast but a detective constable said it had not been assessed either. He said that it was the first time he had heard of any bail address for Cotter. When asked by the district judge if that meant he was unable to approve the address, he said he didn’t even know what the address was.

A lawyer acting for Cotter shared the proposed bail address as Madrid Street with the detective constable, adding: “I am aware the police have been out on at least three occasions speaking with Mr Cotter’s father.”

The officer asked where Madrid Street was to which Cotter’s lawyer answered the Short Strand.

The lawyer asked if the detective was aware that statements had been taken from Cotter’s father on three occasions to which the detective responded: “I am aware his father has been spoken to but I don’t know where his father resides at.”

Cotter’s lawyer said the bail address was put forward at the police station and police have been at the address on three occasions.

Cotter’s lawyer asked that his case be taken to Omagh Magistrates Court on Tuesday via Video Link.

O’Brien was also remanded back into custody, with his case put back to February 24.