Northern Ireland

Court hears man (21) admitted delivering punch which killed Padraig Fox

Murder victim Padraig Fox
Murder victim Padraig Fox Murder victim Padraig Fox

A 21-YEAR-OLD man has admitted delivering the fatal blow which killed 29-year-old Padraig Fox at the weekend, a court has heard.

Murder accused Donach Rice, from Kilkeel Road, Annalong, Co Down, appeared before Newtownards Magistrates Court today.

The court heard Mr Fox died from a single punch on December 8.

The victim's body was found at around 1.45pm on Saturday inside a flat on Burrendale Park Road in Newcastle, Co Down.

It is understood he had only moved into the block of flats a few months ago.

Solicitor John Keown told the court: "I have been asked by the defendant, who has made admissions to delivering that one punch, asked specifically by him to convey his heartfelt apologies to the family of the deceased".

Rice was charged with six offences including the murder of Mr Fox.

He faces two counts of perverting the course of justice by giving police a false statement and by allowing himself to be knifed "to give the false impression that the wound had been inflicted by self defence".

He was also accused of stealing three bottles of alcohol from the Slieve Donard Hotel, trying to rob cash from another man, Daniel Curran, and fraudulently cashing someone else's winning betting slip at Toal's bookmakers.

A second man, Paul Patrick Magennis (26), from Burrendale Park in Newcastle, also appeared before the same court.

He was accused of stealing a bicycle on December 6, two counts of perverting the course of justice and trying to rob cash from Mr Curran on December 8.

He is alleged to have perverted the course of justice by putting a knife under Mr Fox's hand following the murder and also by allowing himself to be knifed to pretend he had acted in self defence.

A PSNI detective inspector told the court he could connect Rice and Magennis to the charges.

The officer agreed with Mr Keown that Mr Fox was killed by one punch but said the murder victim had been assaulted before that punch.

Rice and Magennis were remanded into custody to appear before Downpatrick Magistrates Court via videolink on January 3.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with Mr Fox's murder.

He was being questioned at Musgrave PSNI Station in Belfast last night.

Funeral details for Mr Fox have yet to be finalised.

He had become involved in the Elim Pentecostal Church in Newcastle around two years before his death.

His friend Pastor Paul Crangle said he was a "kind-natured, genuine person" who wanted "people to realise how they could improve their own lives".

Mr Crangle said Mr Fox had taken part in a late-night street chaplaincy, volunteered with a substance abuse charity and had supported someone with alcohol addiction.