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Eight other people could face charges over the death of Christopher Meli

Christopher Meli
Christopher Meli Christopher Meli

Eight other people could face charges over the death of Christopher Meli, a court has been told. 



The revelation came at Lisburn Magistrates Court where one of three defendants accused of murder had his bail conditions varied.



Stephen McCann (20) is, however, still banned from going into the Poleglass and Twinbrook areas of west Belfast.  



McCann, from Bernagh Glen, along with 18-year-olds Caolan Laverty, from Broom Park and Lee Smyth, from Colinbrook Gardens, all Belfast, are jointly accused of the murder of Christopher Meli on 12 December 2015. 



The body of 20-year-old, father-of-one Mr Meli was discovered on a pathway in the Glasvey Close area of Twinbrook after he had been beaten to death and detectives believe up to 20 people were involved in a number of violent incidents that ended in the murder on grassland known as Doc's Lane. 



Giving evidence to the court yesterday the officer in charge of the investigation, DS McCready, revealed that eight other people had been reported to the PPS over the incident. 



It is understood a decision over their potential prosecution is still being considered. 



Varying the bail conditions, District Judge Rosie Watters removed the reporting conditions, extended his curfew to 11pm and removed the restriction which keeps McCann out of greater Belfast. 



She said however that McCann would still be electronically tagged and the judge added a condition that bars him from drinking alcohol.