Northern Ireland

Co Antrim man will stand trial for murder of Chloe Mitchell this year, judge rules

News comes after Brandon Rainey’s previous legal team parted company with him

PACEMAKER BELFAST 12/06/2023 A 26-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell in County Antrim. Brandon John Rainey of James Street, Ballymena, was charged with murdering Ms Mitchell between 2 and 5 June. Ms Mitchell was last seen in the County Antrim town on the night of 2 June and into the early hours of 3 June. Copy by Paul Higgins. 07973157553 Pics by Pacemaker. 07774 179 710 Thurs 18 April Õ24 There were emotional scenes in court today (thurs) as Brandon Rainey, already accused of killing Chloe Mitchell was ordered to stand trial for attempting to prevent her lawful burial as well her murder. Appearing by videolink from prison at the townÕs Magistrates Court where ChloeÕs grieving family and friends filled both sides of the public gallery, all wearing ÒJustice for Chloe T-shirts,Ó 26-year-old Rainey confirmed he had received papers and statements for the Preliminary Enquiry and that he was aware of the charges against him. Before any case can be elevated to the Crown Court the prosecution must first establish there is a Prima Facie case against an accused person and that is done through a PE. Rainey, from James Street in Ballymena, is charged with the murder of 21-year-old Chloe on 3 June last year and also that he Òattempted to prevent the lawful and decent burial of a deceased body contrary to Article 3(1) of the Criminal Attempts and Conspiracy (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 and Common LawÓ in an offence alleged to be aggravated by domestic abuse. Today (thurs) is the first time that charge has been laid against Rainey. Ms Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of Saturday June 3 in Ballymena town centre and detectives investigating her disappearance launched a murder inquiry after suspected human remains were found in Ballymena.
Brandon Rainey. PACEMAKER BELFAST
By John Cassidy

A Co Antrim man will stand trial for the murder of Chloe Mitchell this year, a judge ruled on Thursday.

Brandon John Rainey (30), formerly of James Street, Ballymena, denies murdering Ms Mitchell and preventing the lawful and decent burial of her remains.

He was due to stand trial in March this year but Rainey’s previous legal team walked away from the case stating that they had been “professionally compromised” and said the defendant had told them that he no longer wished them to represent him.

A new legal team headed up by senior defence counsel Des Fahy KC and Andrew Moriarty BL, instructed by Phoenix Law, came on record a few weeks later.

During a review of the case on Thursday, Mr Justice Fowler said he had now identified a date for the trial and wished to start it on the week commencing November 2, 2026.

Defence counsel Des Fahy KC said they had received a psychiatrist’s report on Rainey and said he required two weeks to “stabilise our position on it”.

Prosecution counsel David Russell KC said a Crown expert medical witness has examined Rainey twice in Maghaberry Prison on August 27 and August 28.

He told the court she intends to examine Rainey remotely on September 26 and September 27 and her report would be ready by October 30 2026.

However, Mr Justice Fowler said the purported date for the report was too close to the commencement of the trial and urged the prosecution to impress upon the expert that the report needed to be completed no later than the middle of October.

With the public gallery packed with family and friends for the review hearing, Mr Justice Fowler said the trial will start on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It is expected to last up to five weeks.

The senior judge said he would review the case on September 18, 2026 when the prosecution and defence will update the court on the position of their medical reports.

Chloe Mitchell’s remains were found days after she went missing.

The 21-year-old 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.