Murder accused breaks down describing attack

Stephen Thomas Hughes broke down in tears as he described how he and co-accused Shaunean Boyle “slid” victim Owen Creaney’s remains into a wheelie bin following a brutal attack in July 2014.

Hughes and 25-year-old Shaunean Boyle have been jointly charged with murdering the 40-year old Lurgan man in July 2014. Whilst both defendants have admitted being in the house when Mr Creaney was attacked, they each deny involvement in the brutal beating and have each claimed the other was responsible for the violence.

Hughes (29), whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, denied any involvement in the attack - claiming Boyle, from Edenderry Park in Banbridge, was solely responsible.

However, when he was being questioned about his version of events by Boyle’s barrister, it was suggested that his criminal record - which includes six convictions for assaults - demonstrated a propensity to “use violence upon vulnerable victims”.

The jury has already heard that the 29-year old father of one’s violent past includes headbutting his then three-month pregnant girlfriend and punching her in the chest, beating a 14-year old with a baseball bat, and assaulting his own father.

Mr Creaney was subjected to a fatal beating in the hallway of Hughes’s Moyraverty Court home in July 2014.

When asked by his barrister to explain what happened during the early hours of Thursday July 3rd, Hughes claimed that he, Boyle and Mr Creaney went back to his house after an evening’s drinking.