Stephen Carson murder pair sentenced to 20 years

Two men, Michael Smith (40) and David Smith (35), both from West Belfast, were found guilty of the murder of 28 year-old Stephen Carson and were sentenced earlier on Thursday.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Dec 2018, 12:00 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 10:36 BST
Stephen Carson.Stephen Carson.
Stephen Carson.

Michael Smith and David Smith were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Francis Smith (42) also from West Belfast was found guilty of possessing a shotgun and ammunition in suspicious circumstances and assisting Michael and David by allowing them to store the murder weapon in his property.

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Francis was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months, half to be served in prison and half on licence.

The gun used to murder Stephen Carson.The gun used to murder Stephen Carson.
The gun used to murder Stephen Carson.

Stephen Carson was at his home in Walmer Street, Belfast with his fiancée and nine year old son when he was murdered on February 25, 2016.

Speaking about the sentencings, Detective Chief Inspector Pete McKenna said: “This was a callous, brutal murder and I welcome today’s sentencing. Stephen Carson was at home enjoying a meal with his fiancée and nine year old son when three men burst in carrying a hammer and a shotgun.

"These thugs confronted the young child and Stephen’s fiancée who they sprayed with a pepper type spray. Stephen was in the kitchen and ran to the bathroom to phone the police. At this point one of these males, who I believe to be Michael Smith, fired a fatal shot through the door, hitting Stephen in the head.

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“This was a premeditated murder with the perpetrators leaving no forensic evidence yet these men were still put before the courts as a result of the complex, multi-faceted police investigation carried out by detectives.

The bullet hole where the fatal shot was fired.The bullet hole where the fatal shot was fired.
The bullet hole where the fatal shot was fired.

"I would also like to pay tribute to Stephen’s family for their dignity, courage and unwavering commitment to seeing justice done for their loved one. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and Stephen’s murder was brutal and cold-blooded carried out by extremely dangerous men who appear to show no remorse for their actions.

"Stephen’s son and fiancée have been left extremely traumatised by the incident and their lives will never be the same again. Whilst no sentence can ever take away the pain for Stephen’s family, I hope they get some comfort from knowing that his killers are behind bars. The community is now a safer place with these men removed from our streets.”