A 33-year-old man appeared at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court today, Monday, January 19, charged with the murder of Wayne Reid in Coleraine.
Darrell Joseph Shaw, described as having ‘no fixed abode’, appeared from the dock dressed in a grey tracksuit. He spoke only to confirm his name and acknowledge that he understood the charges against him.
A Detective Sergeant testified that she could connect the defendant to the charge. The court was informed that the police opposed Todays bail application, believing Shaw to be likely to commit further offences.
Shaw has 84 previous convictions and is known as a violent offender. The court also heard about his history of multiple bail breaches and bench warrants.
Police also expressed concerns over Shaw’s close associations with the co-accused and witness intimidations if granted bail and deemed the proposed bail address in Larne as unsuitable.
The court were told the post-mortem report indicated intra-abdominal haemorrhage due to a haematoma of the spleen as the cause of death.
Outlining the circumstances of the case, the Detective Sergeant told the court that the initial report was made by the ambulance service of a sudden death in the Society Court area of Coleraine.
The court was told of CCTV footage capturing various individuals, including the defendant, Darrell Shaw, the victim, and others, entering a flat shortly before 3 a.m. Initially, Mr. Reid appeared uninjured; however, half an hour later, he exited the premises visibly in pain.
Following this, Mr. Reid sought refuge in another flat within the area. He contacted two friends at a later stage before his death to relay that he had been assaulted, specifically naming Shaw as one of his attackers. This was corroborated by statements from witnesses and several co-accused individuals, who claimed Shaw was actively involved in the assault.
Reports indicated that the altercation stemmed from a dispute over a vehicle and an outstanding drug debt, leading to Shaw allegedly striking Mr. Reid.
The Detective Sergeant informed the court that multiple individuals are believed to have played a role in the murder.
Preliminary forensic analysis revealed that a jacket seized from Shaw contained the victim’s blood, A Weapon, namely an iron bar, was also recovered for testing.
District Judge Austin Kennedy denied bail and remanded Shaw in custody. The case was adjourned until February 16.
The body of the 43-year-old Wayne Reid was found at a house in Society Court in the town on January 12.
Following the discovery of Mr Reids body, Detective Chief Inspector Hazel Miller, from the Major Investigation Team, said: “Officers, along with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, responded to an address in the Society Court area of Coleraine, following a report received just after 11.30am on Monday 12th January.
“Sadly, a man, who has been named as 43-year-old Wayne Reid was pronounced dead at the scene. My thoughts are firmly with Mr Reid’s family and loved ones, as they try to come to terms with their loss.
“Detectives are working at pace to eInvestigation the exact circumstances surrounding Mr Reid’s death and I am appealing for anyone with information that could assist our investigation to come forward.
“While the investigation is at a very early stage, we believe that Wayne may have been involved in an altercation, sometime between Thursday 8th and Saturday 10th January in the Society Court or Society Street areas of Coleraine. Therefore, I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at that time.
Five other people – a 30-year-old man and four women aged 19, 38, 39 and 45 – were still being questioned in connection with Mr Reid’s murder. On Sunday evening.
The 30-year-old man was the latest arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, detectives were granted a court extension to continue questioning three people for an additional 36 hours.
Detectives were also on Monday granted a court extension of an additional 36 hours to question a 19 year old woman.
A 33-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man have been released on bail to allow for further enquiries.
A 28-year-old woman, who was arrested on Friday, has also been released on bail pending further enquiries.
To date there have been nine people arrested in relation to the murder, with one man charged to court, three persons released on bail and five people currently still in custody.