Ian Ogle: Two men admit charges linked to east Belfast murder

Ian Ogle, 45, was beaten and stabbed 11 times near his home in Cluan Place in east Belfast in January 2019

Two men have pleaded guilty to lesser offences arising out of the murder of Ian Ogle in east Belfast in 2019.

The defendants changed their pleas to guilty as the trial of a number of men on charges arising from the murder was about to begin.

Reece Kirkwood, 26, from Tower Court in Belfast, pleaded guilty to withholding information when he was rearraigned.

Thomas McCartney, 36, of Wolff Close in Belfast, was also rearraigned and he admitted assisting an offender.

Belfast Crown Court was told the pair will be sentenced at a later date.

Mr Ogle, 45, was beaten and stabbed 11 times near his home in Cluan Place in east Belfast in January 2019.

The two defendants were due to stand trial along with a number of other men who are facing other charges connected to the killing.

Five of the men have been charged with Mr Ogle's murder while another man is accused of assisting an offender.

Before the trial could get under way, a lawyer representing the Crown told the court more time is required for legal arguments to be heard, regarding the admissibility of evidence on which the prosecution intends to rely upon.

The trial is now scheduled to start later this week or early next week.

Addressing the public gallery during the hearing, the judge said that anyone covering their head or faces would be removed from the court and dealt with by police.