Man (24) to ‘strenuously deny’ murdering Lurgan man Marcell ‘Junior’ Seeley

Police remain on duty today outside the Dingwell Park flat where the Mr Marcell 'Junior' Seeley was found dead. HIs death is being treated as 'suspicious'.

Standing in the dock of Lisburn Magistrates Court, 24-year-old Mark Daniel Ward spoke only to confirm that he understood the single charge against him.

Unemployed Ward, from Drumellan Gardens, is accused of the murder of Mr Seeley on a date unknown between 9-13 October this year.

Mr Seeley (34) was found dead in his ground floor flat in the Dingwell Park area of Lurgan last Tuesday and Ward was arrested the following day.

It is understood Mr Seeley’s remains had lain undiscovered in the property in the Taghnevan estate for a number of days before a relative found him.

Although no facts surrounding the death were opened in court today (Monday), a Detective Inspector from the murder investigation team told prosecution lawyer Nicola Auret he knew the circumstances and that he believed he could connect Ward to the charges.

Defence solicitor Christopher Logue said he was not applying for bail at this stage but that Ward “strenuously denies” any involvement.

Labelling the evidence thus far as “weak,” Mr Logue told the court: “There is no forensic link to the deceased, no direct witness evidence to this man committing any murder - this is a weak case.”

He said while he was not applying for bail today (Monday), the defence were trying to obtain an alternative bail address “away from the area” so asked for the case to be relisted in Craigavon this Friday.

Although the solicitor asked for Ward to be produced rather than be dealt with by videolink, indicating the bail application “may take upwards of two hours,” District Judge Rosie Watters told Mr Logue “I don’t think it makes any difference.”

The judge remanded Ward into custody to appear in Craigavon Magistrates Court by videolink this Friday.