24/07/2009

Murder Accused In Ballymena Court

A man accused of a Co Antrim murder 14 years ago has been in the dock.

William Mawhinney, 49, was charged with the murder of Lorraine Mills at her home in Staffa Drive, Ballymena, in 1995.

He was heavily guarded for his two-minute appearance at Ballymena Magistrates Court (pictured) during which the charge was read. He was remanded in custody to reappear at a later date.

The accused was said in court to be the former partner of the female victim, who was killed in 1995. A detective told the court he could connect the defendant with the charge.

Mr Mawhinney was brought to NI from England earlier this week to be questioned over the violent death of the 36-year-old mother-of-two.

Mawhinney, from Highfield Road, Gracehill, March, Cambridgeshire, was initially detained in Cambridgeshire.

The accused was then brought back to NI by PSNI detectives who had been working with the officers from Cambridgeshire Police.

During earlier questioning, the detectives probing the murder sought and were granted an additional 36 hours to continue to question the man.

See: More Time To Quiz Suspect

(BMcC/JM)

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