Inquiry into teenager's death

The police are investigating the apparent suicide of a schoolboy in County Armagh last May.

At first it was thought the 14-year-old killed himself, but now police are preparing a manslaughter file in connection with the case which will be forwarded to Northern Ireland's Director of Public Prosecutions.

The disclosure was made in the High Court in Belfast on Wednesday during a bail application by a couple facing child cruelty charges in respect of the boy and his three brothers.

The application was opposed by a Crown lawyer who said it was alleged the children had been "horrendously abused" over a 10-year period.

The names of the defendants cannot be published to avoid identifying the dead boy's brothers.

The boys' mother and stepfather held hands as their bail application was conducted via video link with Maghaberry Prison where they have been held in custody since appearing in court last week.

They applied for bail on Monday when the court was told a police report into the death of the boy had been sent to the DPP but so far no-one had been charged. The other children are now in care.

Adjourned

The application was adjourned until Wednesday for a social services report.

Crown laywer David Hopley said: "The report substantiates the Crown case as regards the emotional state of the children and the risk of interference."

Defence barrister Norman Hill asked why there was an objection to bail when no formal steps had been taken to prevent the defendants having contact with the children.

Lord Justice Campbell said it was the Crown case that the children had suffered a great deal of trauma, including the apparent suicide of one of them, which indicated what a grave matter it was.

Against that he had to balance the interests of the defendants who were innocent until proved guilty.

He said another factor was the length of time the case would take to come to trial and he was told "at least six months".

The judge said the risk to the children was such that he would not grant bail but said it could be reconsidered if the defendants could provide an address outside County Armagh.