Two unemployed Larne men have been remanded in custody for 24 days charged with the murder of a building worker, Mr Stuart Hunter. Mr David Campbell (19), of Cairngorm Drive, and Mr John Maloney (18), of Ballycraigy Ring, are denying the charge, a court in Ballymena was told yesterday.
The two are accused of murdering Mr Hunter (24), a single man, who was found battered to death near his home at Ballymullock Road, Larne, on Friday morning.
A detective who gave evidence of arrest during the five-minute hearing said that Mr Campbell, in answer to the charge, said: "Definitely not guilty." Mr Maloney replied: "Just I didn't intend to do any harm to Stuart Hunter and I never laid a hand on him, and if I didn't have drink in me, I definitely wouldn't have been there, I would have gone on home."
Mr Maloney's solicitor, Mr Pascal O'Hare, said he would be "strenuously contesting" the charge.
The two men were remanded in custody and will appear in court again at Newtownards on August 29th.