Eamonn O'Hanlon murder accused told police 'I didn't mean for this to happen'

By Marc Mallett

A 25-year-old man from England has been remanded into custody, charged with the murder of Eamonn O'Hanlon in Gilford on Saturday. Frank McAlinden, whose address was given as The Bell Inn at Cross Houses in Shrewsbury, appeared via video link at Newry Magistrates Court on Monday morning charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon, a knife, with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely murder.

The court was told that the defendant, who spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood the two charges he faced, had cooperated fully with police inquiries and that when charged had said: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen". A PSNI detective constable said that around 02.55am on Saturday morning, police received a report from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service that a 37-year-old man had been stabbed outside a house at Hill Street in Gilford. Officers attended the scene and found that the victim, Edward O'Hanlon had been taken away by the Ambulance Service to hospital where he subsequently died from his injuries. The officer also told the court that police witness inquiries at the scene indicated that a person or persons inside a house on Hill Street, where Mr O'Hanlon had been stabbed, were responsible. Three people who were in the property at the time were arrested, interviewed and subsequently released unconditionally as it transpired they had no involvement. The court heard that McAlinden had handed himself into police at Lurgan PSNI station and that during police interviews had accepted responsibility for the offence and having stabbed Mr O'Hanlon once in the chest, caused the fatal injury. No application was made for bail and the accused was remanded into custody and will reappear, via videolink, at Banbridge Magistrates' Court on June 16.