Teen admits killing man in Londonderry

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared at Belfast Crown Court yesterday to be formally arraigned on a charge of murdering Gerard Quinn in May 2016.

Standing outside the dock of the court beside his solicitor, the juvenile replied to the murder charge: “Not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.”

When a second charge was put to him of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent on Mr Quinn’s twin brother Michael, the defendant replied: “Not guilty but guilty to attempted Section 20 (grievous bodily harm).”

Prosecution counsel Margaret Dinsmore told Mr Justice Treacy: “In the circumstances I would ask for four weeks for me to take instructions.”

Defence counsel Brian McCartney QC told the court: “I have no objections to that course. He is in custody. I would say that he is in custody voluntarily.”

Mr Justice Treacy adjourned the case for four weeks.

Gerard Quinn (24) was stabbed in the front garden of a house at Milldale Crescent in the Curryneirin area of Derry.

A court heard last year that the results of a post mortem examination revealed that the father of one died from a single stab wound to the throat caused by a broken glass.

The court heard police received a report at 10.20pm on Saturday, May 21, 2016 of a stabbing.

When officers arrived, the detective said they found a man lying on the ground and “he was not breathing and he had lost a lot of blood”.

Mr Quinn was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Altnagelvin Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to the injury to his throat.

At 12.13 am on Sunday, May 22, the defendant attended Strand Road police station in Derry voluntarily and was interviewed by detectives in the presence of his solicitor and an appropriate intermediary.

The court heard that Mr Quinn’s life was pronounced extinct at 4.20 am on Sunday morning.

During police interviews the defendant admitted striking two men but said he had acted in “self defence”.