Ian Ogle killing: Murder accused granted bail

Prosecutors claimed men were at the address with bags immediately after the community worker was beaten and stabbed 11 times in an attack said to have lasted for 30 seconds.

Details emerged as bail was granted to 40-year-old Mark Sewell over his alleged role in the killing on January 27.

Sewell, of Aigburth Park in the city, is among three men charged with the murder.

Mr Ogle, 45, was fatally attacked close to his home at Cluan Place against a background of a long-running feud.

Crown lawyer Philip Henry claimed he was targeted in "retaliation" for an earlier altercation the same night.

He told the court up to five men were in a car which pulled up outside a bar on the Albertbridge Road.

One of the accused allegedly entered the premises "in a rage" and threatened two women linked to the Ogle family.

According to Mr Henry the men were then captured on CCTV approaching the victim at Cluan Place.

"He's beaten and he's stabbed, the assault takes place over approximately 30 seconds," counsel said.

He claimed the footage also shows the men running away from the scene, with police officers subsequently identifying Sewell on the images.

Mr Henry said Sewell is believed to have gone back to a property on Wye Street following his alleged participation in the attack.

"Police instructions are that it was effectively used as a clean-up address," the barrister went on.

"Various males were seen arriving and leaving with bags in the period immediately after the murder."

The court heard Sewell allegedly "went to ground" for a six-week period following the killing.

When he later surrendered himself to police he denied being one of the five men involved in the attack.

Opposing bail, Mr Henry disclosed that the accused have now been told they are at risk.

"This incident has created a lot of bad feeling in the community, which is going to escalate the risk to his applicant," he contended.

Defence counsel Michael Boyd described the murder as "brutal and shocking".

But he insisted: "Mr Sewell has very strongly denied his involvement."

Asked about the six-week period when his client could not be located, the barrister replied: "It was stupidity more than anything else.

"He knew he was going to have to go and speak to police, and he handed himself in."

Granting bail for Sewell to live at an address outside east Belfast, Mr Justice Colton ordered a £10,000 cash surety to be lodged.

An exclusion zone was also imposed to keep the accused away from the area of the murder.