A CO ARMAGH woman appeared before a court today to deny a charge of assisting an alleged killer.
As well as denying an allegation that she perverted justice by assisting Daniel Carroll in the murder of Brian Phelan, Samantha Collins also denied two other charges in relation to the killing in July 2018.
Appearing at Newry Crown Court by videolink from her solicitor’s office Collins, from Parkview Close in Cloughoge, Newry also entered not guilty pleas to charges of assisting an offender between July 26 to August 1 and withholding information from the time of the killing until February 23 this year.
Daniel Carroll (29), from Edward Street in Portadown, is awaiting trial accused of the murder of Brian Patrick Phelan on July 26 2018.
The father of two, who was from the Bessbrook area, was stabbed on Carrivekenney Road outside Newry.
Reports at the time said the alarm was raised at 3.15pm and while the Air ambulance and paramedics were scrambled, Mr Phelan is understood to have died of his wounds at the scene.
While none of the facts surrounding the charges were opened in court prosecuting counsel Geraldine McCullough said the trial would take around a week to hear, an assertion with which defence QC John Orr agreed.
Judge Gordon Kerr QC listed the trial for November 4 and freeing Collins in bail, he said he would review the case on June 28.
