Knife and baton found in river after fatal attack on Ian Ogle

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

The trial of three men accused of murdering a man in east Belfast has heard that a knife and a baton were found in a nearby river.

Ian Ogle, 45, died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in January 2019.

Three men have gone on trial, accused of his murder.

Glenn Rainey, from Ballyhalbert Caravan Park in Co Down; Robert Spiers, from Millars Park in Dundonald; and Alan Ervine, from Litchfield Street in Belfast, deny murder.

At the beginning of the second week of the trial a crime scene mapping investigator agreed with a prosecution lawyer that the the knife and baton were found in the Connswater river a fortnight after the fatal attack.

Previously, the trial had been told that during a search of the Connswater river, on 14 February 2019, an extendable baton and large kitchen knife were found on the river bed.

A prosecution barrister said they were located approximately 25m from the Mersey Street Bridge, near to defendant Mr Spiers's address at the time at a flat in Mersey Street.

CCTV footage

The lawyer explained that the extendable baton was similar to that allegedly carried by Mr Ervine as the group of alleged attackers passed a CCTV camera at a bus stop close to where the attack happened.

The trial was also told that the baton was bent out of shape.

The prosecution told the trial last week that the knife was 33cm in length with a 20cm blade and was consistent with the long dark implement allegedly carried by Mr Spiers when passing the bus stop.

The lawyer stated, at the opening of the trial, that it was confirmed that it could have caused the fatal injury to Mr Ogle.

Missing knife

The trial also heard that during a search of the home of Mr Spiers, at Mersey Street, a set of 'Ernesto' knives was found, with one knife missing.

He said the knife found in the river was the same type as that missing from the set.

Monday's hearing was also shown CCTV footage of five men, wearing head and face coverings, going in the direction of the scene of the fatal attack.

A witness from the PSNI major investigations team told the trial that one of the men had "a possible metal baton" and another one of the group had "a possible knife" in a back pocket.

CCTV footage of the attack on Mr Ogle was also shown. The incident was captured from some distance away.

The police witness said it showed the victim being assaulted and kicked repeatedly on the ground for approximately 30 seconds.

Two other men, Jonathan Brown, 38, from Whinney Hill in Dundonald and Mark Sewell, 45, of Glenmount Drive in Newtownabbey, have already pleaded guilty to murder.