The man accused of murdering Damien Heagney whose dismembered remains were recovered from a reservoir around eight months after he was last seen alive, has declined to give evidence at his trial.
The disclosure came as the trial entered its fourth week at Dungannon Crown Court.
Stephen Eugene McCourt (41) previously of Gartland Terrace. Dromore then Riverview Augher, denies murdering the victim between 31 December 2021 and 6 January 2022.
In July 2022 his GP practice contacted police as he hadn’t collected his medication in-person since 7 December 2021 and until May 2022 was lifted by someone else.
On 10 August 2022 his dismembered remains were recovered in two packages from Cappagh Reservoir near Pomeroy.
Today (Monday) prosecuting counsel Sam Magee KC formally closed the case.
Mr Justice Fowler turned to defence counsel Desmond Fahy KC who informed the court, “The defendant will not be giving evidence. Apart from a joint report agreed with the prosecution the defence will not be calling any further evidence.”
He confirmed McCourt had been made aware the jury may draw an inference from his decision not to give evidence.
Over the last three weeks the jury heard from multiple witnesses including a vehicle recovery operator who collected Mr Heagney’s broken down car and moved it to McCourt’s home in Dromore on New Year’s Eve 2021.
A few days later McCourt’s neighbour observed him place strips of carpet into the rear of a white van, noting one piece had a large, dark stain.
In early January another vehicle recovery operator, who knew McCourt by the nickname ‘Reggie’ ,received a call from him to remove a BMW car from his home.
This was done and the operator recalled he recovered a white van for McCourt around the same time, which had become stuck in grass and required to be towed out.
Asked where this occurred, the operator replied, “Cappagh Reservoir. Reggie opened the gate.”
0n 10 August 2022 an NI Water Inspector observed a black plastic encased in sheepwire in Cappagh Reservoir.
Believing it to be suspicious, he alerted authorities.
A professional diver searched for human remains and potentially those of a dog, clothing, phones, SIM cards, electronic storage devices, a BMW key, carpet remnants and chemical containers.
After a short time he observed a human foot and subsequently two legs with wire around the upper parts.
It became clear the body had been cut in half and a second package was located nearby.
They were removed and transported to the forensic mortuary at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
The pathologist who conducted the postmortem said a definitive cause of death could not be ascertained “due to decomposition and dismemberment”.
One package contained the head and two arms, while the second held lower limbs, but the tops of the thigh bones were missing, where they would join with the pelvis, having been “cut below the ball-and-socket joints.
Three wounds to the head and neck were consistent with being caused by a typical household knife, with areas of possible bruising to the scalp and a number of lacerations.
Wounds on the arms appeared to have been caused by a blade and there were multiple incisions on the inner left leg.
Some injuries were possibly caused by “prolonged or tightened” contact with the wire fencing in which the packages had been wrapped.
It was believed the injuries required at least moderate force and if inflicted during life would have bled briskly but unlikely to prove life-threatening.
The upper limbs had been, “Disarticulated and the lower limbs were dismembered. They had been cut uniformly, strongly suggestive of sawing, quite possibly some form of electric saw.”
The pathologist confirmed the torso was, “Not available for examination. All remains were in a similar state and could have been in the water since Mr Heagney’s disappearance, however this cannot be stated with absolute certainty.”
At hearing.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere