A man accused of murdering his mother in South Belfast is suffering from brain damage, a court heard today.
Jordan Kennedy’s lawyer said he sustained the injuries in a car crash almost six years ago which claimed the life of his best friend.
Details emerged amid efforts to fast-track the case against the 21-year-old for allegedly stabbing Emma Jane McParland to death. Ms McParland, 39, was found dead at her flat off the Ormeau Road on April 22.
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Kennedy, of Haywood Avenue in the city, remains in custody charged with his mother’s murder. At a review hearing before Belfast Magistrates’ Court today, defence solicitor Adrian Harvey confirmed discussions with the Public Prosecution Service are underway about a process aimed at avoiding delay.
Mr Harvey indicated steps are being taken to obtain an agreed set of facts. He also revealed: “There’s a background where Mr Kennedy suffered a brain damage as a result of a fatal road traffic accident.”
The solicitor was referring to a two-car crash near Belfast in 2014. Kennedy’s friend was killed in the collision, while a woman travelling in a second vehicle was seriously injured. No further details about that incident can be disclosed for legal reasons.
District Judge George Conner agreed to adjourn the current proceedings for a further update in four weeks time.
