Mental health assessment to be carried out on teenage boy charged with murder

A judge has ordered a mental health assessment to be carried out on a teenage boy charged with murdering a man in Co Tyrone.

The 16-year-old appeared in the dock at Omagh Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he also faced two charges of attempted murder and one of making a threat to kill.

Police and emergency services attended an incident at the Lisnahull Road area of Dungannon on Saturday.

A 61-year-old man was found dead next to his seriously injured daughter at a house.

Police have said the girl is in a stable condition.

The dead man’s wife, who was also in the house at the time and sustained non-life threatening injuries, has been released from hospital.

The four charges were read to the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while he stood in the dock.

He spoke only to confirm that he understood the charges.

Defence lawyer Jarlath Faloon told the court that there was no application for bail at this stage.

He said his client had not undergone any formal psychiatric assessment.

He said: “There were clear concerns in respect of his mental health.”

District Judge Conor Heaney ordered a mental health assessment to be carried out in custody.

The teenager was remanded in custody to appear at Dungannon Youth Court on September 15.