Murder accused soldier granted bail

A Hartlepool soldier has been granted bail after being charged with the murder of a Teesside colleague at an Army barracks in County Londonderry.

John Michael Smith, 24, of the Green Howards regiment, was charged with murdering colleague Dean Troy Eddy, 21, from Middlesbrough.

Both soldiers were on guard duty at the time of the alleged incident, at about 2030 BST on Saturday, at Shackleton Barracks in Ballykelly.

Mr Eddy was a member of the Coldstream Guards who was on attachment with the Green Howards regiment.

On Tuesday, the High Court in Northern Ireland granted Smith's application for bail, but directed that he must remain in military custody at the army's headquarters at Lisburn.

At an earlier hearing, the accused told the court he understood the charge during the hearing, which lasted less than five minutes.

A detective sergeant told the court the defendant made no reply when he was charged at Coleraine Police Station.

He said he believed he could connect the accused to the offence.