Charges withdrawn against man accused of partner's murder

Gary O’Dowd (38), from Brookfield Avenue in Banbridge, had been accused of the murder of his dental nurse girlfriend Laura Marshall on a date unknown between March 31 and April 3, 2016.

He had also faced an accusation of threatening to kill Miss Marshall “intending that Laura Marshall would fear it would be carried out” and with assaulting her on March 23.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, the PPS said: “I can confirm the PPS has decided to withdraw all charges against Gary O’Dowd without prejudice.

“This decision was taken for a number of reasons, including witness availability in the coming months.

“The Test for Prosecution on these charges remains met and the course of action taken today provides the PPS with the option to reinstate charges at a future point.

“The PPS has met with the family of the victim to explain the reasons behind this development and will continue to keep in close contact with them.”

Previous courts have heard how the body of the popular dental nurse, described as “bubbly, fun loving and full of life” by her friends, was found by a maintenance man in a block of flats on Victoria Street in Lurgan on Sunday, April 3.

Police launched a murder investigation following a post mortem examination and O’Dowd was arrested that evening, denying involvement in his partner’s death throughout a week of police questioning.

Giving evidence to the court when O’Dowd first appeared accused of the murder, a detective sergeant outlined how Miss Marshall was found in the bath with a deep cut to her wrist.

The wash hand basin had been wrenched from the wall and it was the subsequent leak which alerted the workman who made the macabre discovery said the detective, describing how the bathroom was a “violent scene” with a “significant amount of blood pool near the sink and some in the bath.”