Northern Ireland

Court hears Mexican cartels trying to import heroin into Northern Ireland

Maggie Henderson-McCarroll is charged with Eddie Girvan's murder
Maggie Henderson-McCarroll is charged with Eddie Girvan's murder Maggie Henderson-McCarroll is charged with Eddie Girvan's murder

A senior drugs counsellor has spoken of a heroin epidemic in Belfast and said Mexican cartels were trying to import the drug into Northern Ireland.

The social worker also revealed that organisations and initiatives in north, south and east Belfast have seen an 80 per cent increase in people seeking help over the past three years.

The claims were made during a bail application by a heroin addict accused of murdering Greenisland pensioner Eddie Girvan.

Maggie Henderson-McCarroll - who was described in court as a woman with a long-standing history of drug addiction - has already made several admissions to police about the circumstances surrounding the death of the 67-year old.

Belfast Crown Court heard that following her arrest on suspicion of his murder, the 30-year-old said Mr Girvan paid her to have sex with him, that she spent the weekend in his house, and that on the morning he died - Monday January 18 2016 - they had a row when he refused to pay her for sex.

It emerged yesterday that Mr Girvan - whose hands and ankles were bound with neckties - had kitchen paper stuffed in his mouth which resulted in his tongue being pushed back and blocking his airway.

He also suffered several stab wounds, including a serious injury to his chest which resulted in internal bleeding.

Opposing bail, Crown prosecutor Robin Steer said that when she was arrested later that day, she admitted being in Mr Girvan's house.

She told police that during the row, he pushed her and struck out at her with a sword, and that she "poked him in the stomach".

Henderson-McCarroll, whose address was given as Hydebank YOC, also made the case that she gagged him because she didn't want to the neighbours to hear him.

She has denied a host of offences including murder and is due to stand trial in the new year, where she will be claiming self defence and loss of control in the circumstances.

She was arrested in south Belfast, after allegedly selling a gold chain belonging to the victim for £60 at a Cash Converters.

The court heard that when arrested, Henderson-McCarroll was making her way to her dealer's.

Mr Steer said the main concern held by police was that she would re-offend based on her "long-standing" addiction to heroin.

Defence barrister John McCrudden said Henderson-McCarroll has been drugs free since September and passed two tests.

Michael Foley, who is head of Belfast health and social services trust's drugs outreach team, also gave evidence that prior to her arrest for murder, Henderson-McCarroll had made several attempts to engage with the team.

He spoke of an increase in those seeking help for heroin addiction in three of Belfast's four regions, as well as rising numbers of addicts using facilities such as needle exchanges.

Asked where the drug was coming from, he said production in Afghanistan has doubled due to political stability and he had been told by the PSNI that "Mexican cartels are trying to import heroin into Northern Ireland".

Mr Foley said that if Henderson-McCarroll was granted bail, she could avail of a daily drop-in service and of a weekly therapy session offered by his organisation.

However, Mr Justice Treacy adjourned the application for bail, saying: "As things stand at the moment, I am not prepared to release her on bail, because of the grave risk she poses to the community."

He added that the court was in a position to start a trial at the beginning of February and the case would be reviewed again next week.