Murder case of baby girl '˜hinges on medical experts'

Christopher O’Neill, 25, of Whiterock Road in the city’s west, appeared at Belfast Crown Court for a first arraignment hearing on Friday.

He pleaded “not guilty” to murdering Caragh Walsh on February 7, 2014.

He had initially been charged with GBH, but within hours of him appearing in court the child died.

The defendant was subsequently charged with manslaughter but in July last year he was charged with her murder after the prosecution ordered a new post mortem report into her death.

Defence barrister Barry Gibson told Belfast Crown Court today that the case “turned on the evidence of medical experts as to the cause of death”.

He told Mr Justice Treacy that he would have four medical reports for the trial along with a further four medical reports from the prosecution.

The judge fixed the date of the two week trial for April 18.