Man remanded in connection with Scottish man's murder

A Latvian man appeared in court today accused of a brutal murder in Belfast’s university district.

Victim James McDonald, 56, from Dumfries, Scotland, was found dead at a house in Penrose Street on the city’s south side last Wednesday.

He had suffered facial injuries so severe that he was only identified after police issued a computerised image of him and received several telephone calls.

In the dock today at Belfast magistrates’ court Kaspars Valters, 22, spoke only through an interpreter to confirm he understood the murder charge against him.

The Latvian, of no fixed abode and who is understood to have been living in a hostel, wore a light blue police-issue forensic boiler suit during his brief appearance.

A detective inspector in charge of the investigation told the court he believed he could connect him with the offence.

Valters was remanded in custody to appear again by video link on October 9.

He was one of two men arrested by police investigating the killing. The second man was released pending a report to be sent to the Public Prosecution Service.