Sectarian abuse 'preceded murder'

Michael McIlveen died after being attacked by a gang in May 2006

A court has heard how Ballymena schoolboy Michael McIlveeen had sectarian abuse shouted at him before he was fatally attacked in an alleyway.

Six people are accused of the 15-year-old's murder in May 2006.

A teenager is also charged with criminal damage and causing affray.

A Crown lawyer said Michael McIlveen was hit on the head with a baseball bat by one of the accused then kicked while he was lying on the ground.

The lawyer said the court would see CCTV footage showing the deceased and a friend being chased from a Ballymena leisure centre to a town centre car park after talking to a group of about 30 people close to a cinema.

He was then attacked in the car park.

Afterwards, the victim was unable to talk properly but was helped to his home a short distance away by a friend.

However, within hours he was taken by ambulance to Antrim Area Hospital where he died 24 hours later.

The court heard a post mortem was carried out which revealed the deceased had two fractures to his skull and bruising to the brain.

The prosecution said the six people - five men and a juvenile - charged with the murder are collectively responsible for his death

The trial is to be moved from Coleraine Crown Court because the courtroom is too small.

Defence teams for each of the accused and prosecution lawyers said a fair trial was not possible because Coleraine court was not big enough.

The judge said the trial will move to Antrim on Monday, but said he was unhappy at the timing of the complaint.

The trial continues.