'Missing knife' of murder accused

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A chef accused of stabbing a man to death in south Belfast in July had a knife missing from his work set, the High Court has been told.

Shane Cunningham, 39, was found dead at his brother's house in Woodbreda Park. He was stabbed once in the chest.

Police discovered the knife was missing after Neil Wilson, 28, of Orchard Mews, Belfast, was arrested and charged with murder, a prosecution lawyer said.

His application for compassionate bail to see his newborn daughter was denied.

A prosecution lawyer told the court the victim's brother, Brian Cunningham, told police they had been drinking with the accused on the night before the killing.

They met Mr Wilson at a golf club where he worked and then went with him to a bar before returning to Mr Cunningham's home.

Opposing the bail application, the barrister said it was alleged that Brian Cunningham went to bed and left the other two in the living room. She said that in the morning he discovered his brother dead and the accused gone.

He did not want his first meeting with his young daughter to be in Maghaberry Prison Defence lawyer When Mr Wilson was arrested, he claimed the brothers had argued before he became involved in a row with Shane Cunningham, the court heard.

He alleged that a knife was produced and that during a struggle he and Brian Cunningham fell on top of the victim.

The prosecution lawyer said a post-mortem examination confirmed Mr Cunningham died from a single stab wound and concluded it was unlikely to have been caused by someone falling on the victim while holding a knife.

She said witnesses had told detectives that the chef regularly carried three knives in a box for his work.

"When police recovered this knife box only two of the knives were present," she added.

The court heard that a similar type of blade was later found near the scene, but has not been confirmed as the weapon used.

Applying for compassionate bail, a defence lawyer said Mr Wilson "did not want his first meeting with his young daughter to be in Maghaberry Prison".

Refusing bail, Mr Justice Stephens said he had to consider the potential disruption and obstruction to the police investigation.