A HUSBAND and wife were among four people formally arraigned before the Crown Court on charges arising out of the murder of Co Antrim Chinese restaurant owner Wing Fu Cheung, stabbed 17 times in January last year.
The 65-year-old Randalstown restauranteur, also known as Nelson Cheung, was attacked along with his 57-year-old wife Winnie, Kam-Fung Cheung after their Jeep was ambused and forced off the road as they drove home to Ballymena.
Denying the murder and wounding Mrs Cheung with intent to do her grievous bodily harm was 33-year-old Portuguese national, Virgilio Agusto Fernando Correia, originally with an address in Grant Avenue, Randalstown, and 25-year-old Christopher David Menaul, originally with an address in Barra Street, Antrim.
Correia, whose address along with that of Menaul is now given as HMP Maghaberry, also denied a charge of robbing Mrs Cheung of a handbag, an Ipad, Iphone, £200, an Ulster Bank card and an American Express card.
Husband and wife, Gary and Lisa Thompson, who are on bail, appeared on separate charges, which they also denied.
Gary Thompson, a 33-year-old engineer, formally of Cunningham Way, Antrim, now living at an address approved by the PSNI, is accused of having "dishonestly undertook or assisted in the retention removal disposal or realisation" of Mrs Cheung's Iphone and bank card.
His 34-year-old wife Lisa, a care assistant also originally of Cunningham Way, Antrim, but now with an address in Lurgan, denies doing an act with intent to perverting the course of public justice by threatening "Virgilio Correia not to talk to police in interview or he would be ''got in the long grass''.
Mr Justice Treacy fixed their trial, to be held in Belfast, and expected to last up to six weeks, for next January.
No details surrounding the attack were given during the short formal arraignment.
