A teenage boy has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, along with the attempted murder of the man’s wife and young daughter.
The deceased has been named locally as 61-year-old Sidi Djalo, who was originally from Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. Local media reports that he had lived in the Tyrone town for 20 years, working as a production assistant at the Moy Park factory.
Officers discovered Mr Djalo’s body lying beside his seriously injured eight-year-old daughter at their home in Lisnahull Road on Saturday morning.
The accused cannot be identified due to his age.
In court on Tuesday, the accused, who was also charged with threats to kill, spoke only to confirm his identity and that he understood the charges.
The judge ordered a mental health assessment of the teenager during the brief ten minute hearing. There was no application for bail during this stage, as defence solicitor Jarlath Falloon told the court: “The defendant has admitted the offences during interview.
“However it is regrettable there was no formal psychiatric assessment while in custody. There was limited examination by a psychiatric nurse and a Force Medical Officer who deemed him fit for interview, but he has not been assessed at psychiatrist level.”
The district judge’s agreement with this means that an emergency assessment must now be carried out. The teenager was remanded in custody to appear via video link at Dungannon Youth Court on September 15th.
Mr Faloon said there were “clear concerns” about the teenager’s mental health.
The victim’s 48-year-old wife sustained non-life threatening injuries during the attack.
The eight-year-old child is said to be in a stable condition in hospital, having been in a serious condition
SNI Superintendent Peter Stevenson told a press conference on Monday that officers began immediate first aid on the young girl and woman.
The superintendent said: “I am in no doubt that their quick actions gave the young girl a fighting chance of survival. She is now in a stable condition in hospital.”