Three on murder charge after birthday party

Three men appeared in court today charged with murdering a father of three walking home from his daughter's 18th birthday party.

Eamonn Hughes (aged 48) was stabbed to death in the street in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, at the weekend.

The accused, together with a fourth man charged with attempted murder, appeared together in Omagh Magistrates' Court last night surrounded by a strong force of armed police.

Liam Murray (aged 21), of Windmill Court, Dungannon, was charged with murder and hijacking. Kevin Kinnear (aged 24), of Windmill Drive, Dungannon, was also charged with murder and hijacking, as was Kevin Toye (aged 22), of Windmill Drive.

Toye was also charged with two counts of causing grievous bodily harm.

A fourth man, 39-year-old Kevin Murray from the Lisnahull area of Dungannon, was charged with attempted murder.

All four men were remanded in custody until October 8 to appear by video link at Dungannon Court.

A bail application was made on behalf of Kevin Kinnear, whose lawyer claimed he had not been involved in the offence but had simply ended up in a taxi with the other three.

A detective inspector told the court that the police case was that the murder was a joint enterprise between all of those in the taxi and that Kinnear was in the company of the others.

He expressed concern that the accused could abscond or interfere with witnesses if granted bail.

District Judge Greg McCourt rejected the bail application, saying Kinnear faced the most serious charge and he was concerned there could be interference with witnesses.

Kinnear's father and aunt sat in the public benches in court weeping as his bail application was rejected.

Two women - friends of the murdered man - were struck by a stolen car after the killing and Mr Hughes's son was shot in the arm with a crossbow.

Both women remain in hospital being treated for multiple injuries to their legs.

Last night hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil in memory of Mr Hughes and flowers were left at the scene of the stabbing.

It was the latest tragedy to strike the Hughes family - 18 years ago his father Francis was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries.

A fourth man was charged tonight with the murder and is expected to appear at Dungannon Magistrates Court in the morning.

The man, in his 20s, has also been charged with hijacking, said a police spokesman.