A Co Antrim man is to plead guilty to killing Chloe Mitchell by reason of diminished responsibility, a court heard on Friday.
Brandon John Rainey (29), formerly of James Street, Ballymena, was due to go on trial at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, March 9, 2026, for the murder of Ms Mitchell which he denied.
He further denies a charge of attempting to prevent “the lawful and decent burial of a deceased body” on the same date on June 3, 2023. But during an emergency hearing at Belfast Crown Court on Friday before Madam Justice McBride, senior defence counsel Neil Connor KC said he wanted to update the court following a review of proceedings on Thursday and ahead of the proposed trial next month.
“The reason for the unexpected hearing this morning is that myself, my junior counsel Mr Neil Moore and my instructing solicitor Mr James Ballentine, had a scheduled consultation with Mr Rainey yesterday afternoon (Thursday),” said Mr Connor.
”That consultation took a perhaps unexpected turn to the extent that my instructions from Mr Rainey have changed which is likely to have a substantial impact on the trial.“
Mr Connor told Madam Justice McBride that he had an application to amend the previously lodged defence statement.
“That document reflects the change in instructions we received yesterday and there is now a general acceptance on behalf of Mr Rainey that he killed Ms Mitchell. I use that term as opposed to murdering Ms Mitchell.
“It really is a medical defence now based on diminished responsibility which centres round his state of mind at the time. Given the change in instructions we will need to obtain an updated psychiatric report from Dr Issac who has previously examined Mr Rainey.”
Mr Connor said he had already spoken with Dr Issac who said the earliest he could consult with the defendant was Monday, March 9, 2026, and he could have his addendum report completed by Friday, March 13, 2026.
“We will have to consider his report, then consult with Mr Rainey and make a decision on whether the addendum report will be served (on the Crown) and relied upon by us,” explained Mr Connor.
“The hope is that the report will be relied upon. Depending on the contents of that report, the prosecution may want the defendant examined by their psychiatrist Dr Brennan.”
Mr Connor requested that the trial date of Monday, March 9, 2026, be vacated in light of the new instructions from Rainey. The senior defence counsel asked that Rainey is not produced on the proposed trial date as he is due his consultation that day with Dr Issac.
“We could have him produced later in the week so that he can re-arraigned on both counts he faces on the indictment,” said Mr Connor.
“He could be re-arraigned and maintain his not guilty plea to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility,” added Mr Connor.
Senior prosecution counsel David Russell KC said he was adopting a “cautious approach” to the change in instructions by the defendant.
He told the court: “We rather have been here before because Dr Issac’s report was relied on in this case from April 2025 and was obtained in the face of a trial which led to the trial not proceeding.
”One of the issues in this case is the defendant’s inability to say what happened (to Ms Mitchell).“
Mr Russell said the Crown’s position was that the court sits on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in case the “accused changes his mind and decides not to see Dr Issac and we would need to be in a position to proceed with the trial”.
He told the court that the Crown’s position would not change until there were updated medical reports from both Dr Issac and Dr Brennan. Mr Russell pointed out that Dr Brennan is on leave until March 21, 2026 and his first available appointment to see the defendant would be from the week beginning Monday, March 23, 2026.
”If all those commitments fall in place, ie, the accused is seen by Dr Issac, the re-arraignment, the two additional reports, that looks like a backstop of a trial starting in the new term on Monday, April 13, 2026, which gives ample time for decisions to be made,“ said Mr Russell.
”One way or another by that stage of April 13 we will know whether a trial is ready to proceed.“
In response to prosecution submissions, Mr Connor said he understood the Crown’s position in wishing to maintain a trial date in case Rainey changed his mind over entering a guilty plea to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
“The problem that I see with that is we have received specific instructions and if my learned friend fears a change of heart (by the defendant), that would have implications for our continued representation,” added Mr Connor.
Following legal submissions, Madam Justice McBride said the proposed trial would not commence on Monday, March 9, 2026. Instead, Rainey would be re-arraigned on Thursday, March 12, 2026, and she ordered his production from custody to appear at Belfast Crown Court.
Thanking counsel for alerting her to progress in the case, Madam Justice McBride said: “I think it is a welcome development and one I hope is welcomed by the family.”
Chloe Mitchell’s remains were found days after she went missing. She was last seen alive on CCTV in Ballymena town centre in the early hours of June 3, 2023 and an extensive search operation was launched by the PSNI.
Detectives investigating her disappearance later launched a murder inquiry after human remains were discovered in the Co Antrim town. This led officers to attend a flat in the James Street area of the town which prompted Rainey’s arrest.
