Murder accused appears in court

Norman Moffatt was stabbed at Railway Street junction

A 32-year-old County Londonderry man has been remanded in custody charged with murdering a Coleraine pensioner almost two years ago.

Norman Moffatt, 73, was stabbed as he walked home with his morning paper on 26 January 2001. He died almost two months later.

James Alexander McCook of Brook Street, Coleraine, is accused of murdering him.

The court heard on Thursday that Mr McCook, who is unemployed, had replied "no" when the murder charge was put to him.

Norman Moffatt: Died following attack

A detective inspector told the court he believed he had scientific evidence, witness accounts and circumstantial evidence to connect the accused with the crime. He said investigations were continuing.

Under cross-examination, the officer confirmed two witnesses had failed to identify Mr McCook in a police identification parade.

The accused's solicitor said another witness - his client's former partner - had been approached by police to view a CCTV video recording of the crime.

He said the recording was of very poor quality and only the ex-partner said she could identify the accused.

The solicitor said police evidence about the posture of the person in the video - apparently linking the accused to the assailant - was flawed as 5% of the population would walk the same way. Mr McCook has a knee injury.

He was remanded in custody until 16 December.