Soldier in court accused of murder

A soldier appeared in court today charged with murdering a fellow private in a Northern Ireland army camp last week.

Private Robert Alexander Hunter, 22, was charged with the murder of Private Peter Wilkinson, 21, inside Mahon Road army camp in Portadown, Co Armagh, on June 15.

He was remanded on £500 bail on condition he was held in military custody.

Hunter, whose address was given as Mahon Road army barracks, was dressed in civilian clothes for his brief appearance in Craigavon Magistrates Court, during which he sat with his head bowed.

Pte Wilkinson, from Ramsgate in Kent, a married man without children, died in hospital on Saturday following an incident in the army camp the previous day.

Both soldiers served in the camp with the 27th Regiment, Royal Logistic Corp.

RUC Detective Inspector Fleming told magistrate Ken Nixon that Hunter made no comment when he charged him yesterday.

Questioned by a defence solicitor he agreed the soldier had co-operated fully during two interviews.

He confirmed prior to a post-mortem examination of the deceased it had been believed the death may have been due to natural causes.

He said neuro-pathological inquiries were not yet complete.

Asked about the incident which led to the death Detective Inspector Fleming said: "A number of people had been interviewed in relation to the incident and it is fair to say there are slight variations in the accounts they give."

Hunter was remanded to return to the same court on June 25.