7 cases before Northern Ireland courts this week

Need to know

Here is your round up of cases heard at court from February 16-20

7 cases before Northern Ireland courts this week

1. The family of Chloe Mitchell said they will “stand strong” for justice as her murder trial is set to go ahead. The trial into the Ballymena woman’s murder was hanging in the balance due to a criminal barristers’ strike, which threatened to delay proceedings. At a brief hearing at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, February 16, it was agreed the trial would begin on March 9.
2. A North Antrim pensioner who admitted causing the death of a woman by careless driving was handed a 12-month prison sentence on Monday suspended for two years. Sentencing Isobel Dunlop at Antrim Crown Court, Judge Sandra Crawford told the 84-year-old retired civil servant her offence crossed the custodial threshold.
3. A man on trial for the attempted murder of two police officers with an improvised bomb has been refused bail to attend his daughter’s Confirmation service. Charlie Love, currently on remand in Maghaberry Prison, denies two counts of attempting to murder PSNI officers. The 31-year-old, formerly of Bridge Street in Strabane, further denies causing an explosion and possessing explosives with intent to endanger life.
4. The sentencing of a teacher for sex offences against female pupils has been adjourned as his lawyers seek an expert medical report on his risk of suffering a stroke, a court heard on Wedensday. William-Lloyd Lavery was due to be sentenced on March 3, 2026, after he was found guilty at Belfast Crown Court of six counts of indecently assaulting six pupils at a south Belfast all-girls grammar school in the 1970s.
5. A man who died after a generator incident at his home in Co Antrim last year was found by his young stepson, an inquest has heard. Jason McKay, 36, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a “tragic accident” at his Portrush home on January 26, 2025. An inquest into the dad-of-five’s death was held at Coleraine Courthouse on Friday.
6. This week marked week four of the inquest into the death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe. The jury heard from a number of police officers, including the officer called to reports of Noah’s bike being found, and the now retired officer who led tunnel searches at a nearby park.
7. A man involved in an “extremely nasty” assault on a father and son at a Co Down pub is not entitled to any reduced prison sentence, the Court of Appeal ruled on Friday. Senior judges rejected Ryan Cummings’ challenge to the three-year term imposed for his role in the attack which left the older victim suffering from a bleed to the brain. Staff at the bar in Dromara were also forced to seek cover as fittings were smashed when violence erupted over a refusal of service.

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

Follow belfastlive: