Man appears in court charged with Steven Peck murder

A 28-year-old man appeared in court on Friday where he denied a charge of murder.

Steven Peck, 33, was the victim of an assault near the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney on 3 January 2021.

The badly wounded man was taken to hospital following the assault. However, he died six days later from his injuries.

Brian John McCook, from Urbal Road in Dervock, is one of five people charged with offences arising from Mr Peck's death.

Mr McCook appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Friday where he was charged with murdering Mr Peck on 9 January 2021.

When the single charge was put to him, he replied: "Not guilty."

Following the arraignment of Mr McCook, Mr Justice O'Hara released him on continuing bail and said he would review the case on 15 November.

Stephen Derek McCook, aged 32, also of Urbal Road in Dervock, is facing the same murder charge but he has not yet been arraigned.

Co-accused David Austin, 58, from Cherry Gardens in Ballymoney appeared in court in February 2023 and was handed a life sentence after he admitted a charge of murdering Mr Peck.

Austin was handed a life sentence by Mr Justice O'Hara and the minimum period he will have to serve before being considered eligible for release will be set at a later date.

Two woman have also been charged with offences arising from the murder.

Both accused appeared in court in April 2022 and denied charges of perverting the course of justice.

Easther McCook, aged 50, from Urbal Road in Dervock, was charged with, and denied, that between 2 and 6 January 2021 she provided false alibis to police.

Lisa Gemmell, who is 33 and from Union Street in Ballymoney, denied deleting records from a mobile phone between 2 and 4 January 2021.