Court hears man shows remorse after killing young mum in stolen car

By Alan Erwin

A man accused of killing a young mother in a stolen car in north Belfast has made full admissions, a court heard today.

Martin Nelson also told police of his remorse and sorrow over the victim being knocked down after officers pursued the Audi A4 he was said to be driving.

The 39-year-old faces a series of charges linked the crash which claimed the life of Lisa Gow on the Ballysillan Road on Thursday morning.

Nelson, with an address at Ardoyne Road in the city, is accused of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

He is further charged with burglary, aggravated vehicle theft, and taking and driving a motor vehicle away.

A judge at Belfast Magistrates' Court was told Nelson would not be appearing in the dock as planned.

"He has refused to come up from the cells," defence solicitor Pearse MacDermott confirmed.

As the hearing went ahead in his absence, a detective sergeant confirmed he could connect Nelson to the alleged offences.

A Police Ombudsman investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The car involved in the fatal collision had been stolen from a house on the Cavehill Road earlier that morning.

It is understood keys to the vehicle were taken during a burglary three days earlier.

Police said they located the Audi A4 after deploying the PSNI helicopter as part of a search operation.

The vehicle was followed onto the Antrim Road before other trained officers deployed a stinger device in a bid to bring it to a controlled stop.

But when the stolen car failed to come to a halt police on the ground ended their pursuit amid concerns at the dangerous manner in which it was being driven, according to a PSNI statement.

It then headed onto the Ballysillan Road, colliding with another vehicle before striking and killing the female pedestrian.

She has been named locally as Ms Gow, a woman in her thirties with two young children.

During the hearing Mr MacDermott did not contest his client being connected to the charges.

But he told the court: "During interview Mr Nelson made full admissions and accepted his role in the incident, and during interviews he expressed remorse and sorrow to the victim's family."

No application for bail was mounted in the accused's absence.

Instead, District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered him to be remanded in custody to appear again by video-link on May 18. ends