THE mother of two men accused of taking part in a fatal attack over an extra-marital affair allegedly "controls" her family, the High Court heard today.
Prosecutors also claimed Easther McCook knows where murder victim Steven Peck's missing phone is located, and that potential witnesses have expressed a fear of her.
Mr Peck (33) was discovered with a serious head injury near the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney, Co Antrim on January 3 this year.
Detectives launched a murder inquiry after he died in hospital a week later.
Three men, 54-year-old David Austin, of Cherry Gardens in Ballymoney, and brothers Stephen McCook (28) and Brian McCook (24) both from Urbal Road in Devock, had been charged with his attempted murder. That charged was upgraded tpday in a separate court to murder.
Police believe Mr Peck had been in a relationship with Austin's wife, and was attacked after being lured to what he thought was a meeting with her.
Easther McCook, also of Urbal Road, denies a charge of assisting offenders by providing a false alibi and interfering with witnesses in connection with the investigation.
The 46-year-old allegedly prevented any attempt to warn the victim by remaining with the woman he had been seeing, a previous court heard.
At that stage her application for bail was put on hold so that more information could be provided on efforts to retrieve the missing mobile.
In court today Crown lawyer Adrian Higgins said: "Police now believe this applicant knows exactly where that telephone is located, as do other members of the family."
He argued McCook's release would jeopardise efforts to recover it.
Counsel disclosed that more people have now offered to assist the investigation, but claimed their co-operation was more likely if she remains in custody.
"They have expressed a significant amount of fear in relation to this applicant as the person perhaps with control over the other members of the family," Mr Higgins added.
Defence barrister Dean Mooney argued that it is "highly improbable" the phone will ever be found.
He also stressed that the identity of a new witness in the case is not known to his client.
"This is a lady who is vulnerable herself, police felt she required an appropriate adult during interview," Mr Mooney said.
"It seems difficult to suggest this applicant for bail could exert violence or fear on a person of her own volition."
The level of care required by her husband since being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident was also highlighted.
"He is a paraplegic, he is totally paralysed from the chest down," Mr Mooney submitted.
Reserving judgment, Mr Justice Scoffield said he wanted to reflect on submissions before deciding whether to grant bail.
