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Christopher McClean accused of killing Darren McBrearty Christopher McClean accused of killing Darren McBrearty
(35 minutes later)
A teenager has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of Darren McBrearty in Omagh on Sunday. A teenager charged with the manslaughter of a man on Sunday threw a single punch during an altercation outside a bar in Omagh, County Tyrone.
Christopher McClean, 18, and from Main Street in the County Tyrone village of Gortin, is accused of killing Mr McBrearty, 28, in John Street. Christopher McClean, 18, from Main Street in Gortin, County Tyrone, is accused of killing Omagh man Darren McBrearty, 28, in John Street.
Mr McBrearty had been on a life support machine since the assault but died in hospital on Tuesday.Mr McBrearty had been on a life support machine since the assault but died in hospital on Tuesday.
Two other men, aged 23 and 24, were also arrested in connection with the incident but were released on bail.
The accused was released on bail to appear again in court later this month.The accused was released on bail to appear again in court later this month.
'Shock' Two other men, aged 23 and 24, were also arrested in connection with the incident but were released on bail.
Omagh councillor, Sean Begley, knew Mr McBrearty personally and said he was "a very highly respected young man within the Omagh area". The case against Mr McClean rests on whether he threw the punch in self-defence or as an act of aggression.
The Sinn Féin representative said: "I would like to express my deepest sympathy to Darren's family and friends. Certainly no family should have to go through the trauma and suffering that Darren's family is presently going through as a result of what happened on Sunday night." Dressed in a grey top and jeans and with a black eye, he did not speak throughout the hearing at Dungannon District Court. His solicitor, however, asked a detective constable to confirm that his client had made a full statement to the police at the first opportunity.
Mr Begley added: "He was hard working, he had a great love for sport and I believe he was playing in his local hurling club on Sunday afternoon. 'Highly respected'
"He had a great love for the Celtic football team and indeed, he had just won a major national martial arts tournament over in England over the past few months and he was certainly really well respected within his own peer group. The police officer confirmed this was the case and agreed that the version of events laid out in that statement tallied with the police's understanding of what had happened.
"I've been speaking to many young people over the past number of days in the Omagh town area and they are really in a state of shock and disbelief at what has happened in these tragic circumstances." The officer agreed that this appeared to be a "single punch" incident and that the case rested on whether this was an act of aggression or, as the accused claims, an act of self-defence.
Safety initiatives A large number of friends and relatives of the accused man watched from the public gallery, some of them weeping.
Independent Omagh councillor Patrick McGowan also knew three generations of Mr McBrearty's family and described his death as a "terrible tragedy".
The assault took place in the same street where County Monaghan teenager, Jason McGovern, was attacked on on New Year's Eve. The 19-year-old died shortly after the attack.
Both councillors said they were working on initiatives to help make the town a safer place for young people to socialise in the evenings.