Man appears in court accused of battering uncle to death in drunken row

Paul Higgins

A Polish man appeared in court today (thurs) accused of battering his uncle to death in a drunken argument over rent. 

Ballymena Magistrates Court heard that while 36-year-old Marek Sinko was initially arrested and questioned about the death of 53-year-old Eugeniusz Sinko last October, it was only when police recently received a pathology report stating the cause of death was due to a “grade three traumatic brain injury” the decision was taken to lay a murder charge against him. 

Standing handcuffed in the dock, Sinko, from the Townhill Road in Rasharkin, confirmed that he understood the single charge against him namely that of the murder of his uncle Eugeniusz Sinko on 22 October last year. 

The body of 53-year-old Mr Sinko, a labourer who been living in the area for a number of years, was found in the front yard of the hike the uncle and nephew shared on the Townhill Road that Sunday morning. 

In court today (thurs) Detective Inspector McCartney gave evidence that he believed he could connect Sinko to the murder and described how the victim had suffered 63 separate injuries. 

He told the court Marek Sinko claimed to have struck his uncle five times in what he himself admitted was a “brutal” fight over rent money and further that his uncle had gone outside to wash himself after the fight as he went to bed. 

“That’s been disproved by the receipt of a pathology report which states that the victim would have been unconscious within minutes of the assault if not sooner,” said the senior detective. 

He added that police also had evidence of “some cleaning of the scene” in the blood spattered kitchen and that the body of Mr Sinko had been “dragged outside.” 

Despite police objections to Marek Sinko being freed on bail amid fears that he would flee, District Judge Nigel Broderick said he would grant bail given his clear record, his family ties to NI, good work record in the 14 years he had been living here and the fact that he has been on police bail with no breaches since the incident. 

Marek Sinko was however remanded into custody after the PPS said they intended to appeal the judge’s decision.