Bangor man charged with 2014 murder in town

The body of 63-year-old Ronald Reid was discovered in his apartment on the Donaghadee Road on Christmas Eve 2014, and on Thursday Stuart Alexander Reid, 37, was charged with his murder on a date unknown between December 18 to 21.

However, the defendant did not appear at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court on foot of the indictable summons and his solicitor revealed that Reid, whose address was given as Bingham Street in Bangor, is currently detained at Knockbracken Health Care Park in south Belfast.

Asking for the case to be adjourned for two weeks, the lawyer told the court “arrangements will have to be made for his attendance with the hospital,” an application granted by District Judge Mark Hamill.

At the time his body was discovered, it was reported that post-mortem examination found that Mr Reid had suffered a number of injuries and detectives believe he was attacked a number of days before his body was found.