Nelson Cheung Randalstown murder: Three men appear in court

Nelson Cheung died after his car was forced off the road near Randalstown

Three men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in County Antrim last week.

Nelson Cheung, 65, died after his car was forced off the road near Randalstown on 8 January.

His wife, Winnie, 57, was injured.

Appearing in court were - Virgilio Augusto Fernando Correia, 33, from Grant Avenue, Randalstown, Gary William Thompson, 32, from Cunningham Way, Antrim, and Christopher David Menaul, 25, from Barra Street, Antrim.

They deny the murder of the Chinese businessman, attempting to murder Mrs Cheung, the attempted robbery of Mr Cheung and the robbery of a handbag, iPad, iPhone, £200 in cash and Ulster Bank and American Express cards.

Mr Menaul is also accused of burglary at a house on the Magheralane Road between 6 January and 9 January.

Lisa Thompson, 32, the wife of Mr Thompson, from Cunningham Way, Antrim, also appeared in court.

She is accused of handling stolen goods and perverting the course of justice.

The four spoke only to confirm they understood the charges against them.

A police officer told the judge at Ballymena Magistrates' Court that he believed he could connect the accused with the offences.

He revealed that Mr Cheung had been stabbed 17 times, and that his wife Winnie had been stabbed in the hand.

Gary William Thompson, Lisa Thompson, Christopher David Menaul and Virgilio Agusto Fernando Corria all appeared at Ballymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday

The court was also told that the couple had been heading home to Ballymena shortly after midnight last Thursday from their takeaway business after closing up for the night.

As they headed along the Caddy Road, on the outskirts of Randalstown, their vehicle was ambushed by two cars that forced them off the road.

Mr Caldwell said people got out of the car and approached the Cheungs' vehicle, before pulling open the Jeep door and shouting: "Give us the money."

The police officer said while Mr Cheung was stabbed, his wife Mrs Cheung was verbally abused and grabbed by the hair and was stabbed on her hands, which cut an artery causing bleeding.

However, she managed to break free and ran to a nearby house for help, before returning to the car where she found her husband.

The officer also told the court that a CCTV investigation is being conducted, and that a forensic analysis is being carried out on another car involved in the incident and that Mrs Cheung's blood had been found on the handbrake.