County Armagh man charged with murder of his infant son four years ago while child's mother charged with cruelty

A Co. Armagh man appeared in court today accused of the murder of his infant son four years ago.

​​Appearing at Craigavon Magistrates Court, 27-year-old Craig Rowland was charged with both the murder and a manslaughter of Lewis Oliver Rowland on 20 October 2018.

​Rowland, from Millington Park in Portadown, was also accused of child cruelty in that having custody, charge or care of Lewis, he allegedly wilfully neglected the victim on 20 November 2015 “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.”

​Appearing alongside Rowland facing a single charge of child cruelty was Lewis’ mother 30-year-old Laura Graham, also from Millington Park.

​​She had also been charged with murder and manslaughter of her infant son but in relation to Graham, a prosecuting lawyer withdrew those two charges relating to the death.

​​None of the facts surrounding the tragic death were opened in court but it is understood that Lewis was three and a half when he died and just a few months old when he was allegedly wilfully neglected by his parents.

​Standing side by side at the back of the court, Rowland and Graham confirmed they were aware of their respective charges and also that the had no objections to a Preliminary Enquiry, the legal step necessary to elevate any case to the Crown Court.

​A prosecuting lawyer submitted that on the basis of the legal papers and statements there was a case for the defendants to answer and that was conceded by defence barristers Conor Lunny and Andrew Moriarity.

​Highlighting “there is a high volume of expert reports” in the case, they applied for legal aid to be extended to allow senior KC barristers to be instructed.

Freeing the defendants on their own bail of £500 with a condition to reside at their address, Dep. District Judge Gerard Trainor returned the case to the Crown Court, scheduling their arraignment to be heard on 21 April.

​​He also granted defence applications for legal aid to be extended.

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