Roy Reynolds: 'Barbaric murder' of man found in Carrickfergus reservoir

Two men appeared in court charged over the murder of Roy Reynolds

A man whose body was found in a County Antrim reservoir earlier this week was subjected to a "barbaric and horrific" murder, a court has been told.

The body of Roy Reynolds, 54, was found in North Woodburn Reservoir near Carrickfergus on Monday morning.

Two men appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Friday charged over the killing.

Michael Campbell, 32, of East Way in the Rathcoole estate, Newtownabbey, is accused of Mr Reynolds' murder.

Robert Mervyn Fulton, 68, from Belfast Road, Ballyclare, faces a count of assisting in the disposal of the body.

The court was told that police were contacted by a member of the public who had witnessed a man dragging a naked body from Mr Campbell's flat early on Monday morning.

It was put then in the boot of a car belonging to and driven by Mr Fulton.

An investigating detective said that when the vehicle was stopped by police a blood-stained Mr Campbell was in the passenger seat.

Large quantities of blood were also detected in the boot and bumper of the car.

Mr Fulton told police that a man had been left at a dam in Carrickfergus, but was unsure if he was dead or alive.

Roy Reynolds' body was found in North Woodburn Reservoir

Police went to Mr Campbell's home where they discovered blood-covered walls and clear signs of a disturbance.

A blood-stained knife and screwdriver were also found, along with an electric hedge trimmer on a sofa.

Meanwhile, another member of the public on a walk at North Woodburn Reservoir reported finding Mr Reynolds' body in shallow water.

"The body was naked, with jeans and underwear around his ankles, and a breeze block positioned under his arm," the detective said.

During interviews, Mr Campbell made admissions, but claimed that he acted in self-defence.

Mr Fulton accepted using his car to transport the body for disposal, having left his home earlier that morning to travel to Rathcoole.

He claimed to have been asked to bring the hedge trimmer and plastic sheeting found inside the boot of his car.

The court heard Mr Fulton was previously in a relationship with Mr Campbell's mother and remained "infatuated" with her.

Flowers left at the reservoir after the body was found

Although a post-mortem has been carried out, no cause of death has been confirmed at this stage.

But the detective said: "This man suffered a brutal, sustained attack. It is barbaric, the injuries he suffered."

Opposing Mr Campbell's application for bail, she said he allegedly posted a recent video on Facebook while armed with a knife and making threats to harm Mr Reynolds.

"I think the actual threat was to cut out his heart," the detective claimed.

Mr Campbell's barrister argued that he had fully cooperated with police and gave reasons why he allegedly acted in self-defence.

"He indicates there was a verbal argument, both parties had been drinking and he was attacked by the deceased," he said.

'Holes drilled in breezeblock'

Mr Fulton's solicitor said that he has physical and mental disabilities.

But the detective responded that he had been able to drive to the scene of the killing in the middle of the night and respond when Mr Campbell requested something to weigh the body down.

"Mr Fulton, at his home address, drilled two holes in a breeze block in order to put rope in it to dispose of the body," she disclosed.

The solicitor said his client had played no physical role in the murder and had "never touched the body".

He added that Mr Fulton was "in terror of" Mr Campbell.

The solicitor also said Mr Fulton had been set up in a "honeypot trap" which involved his home being partially signed over into a woman's name.

Bail was refused for both defendants.

The case will appear back before the courts on 29 April.