Three people have denied assaulting a man who was fatally injured on a night out in Portadown more than three years ago.
At Craigavon Crown Court on Thursday, 25-year-old Ethan Dougan, 22-year-old Odhran Connolly, and Beth Vernon – also 22 – all entered “not guilty” pleas to the single against them.
Connolly, from Churchill Park in Portadown, Dougan, from Redrock Road in Armagh, and Vernon, from Moyraverty Meadows in Moyraverty, are charged with common assault (indictable) of Jake Bailey-Sloan on October 17, 2021.
Jake, who was 23 at the time, collapsed in the Mandeville Street area of Portadown a short time after the assaults.
He was taken to hospital in the early hours but died the following day.
During the short arraignment hearing, public prosecutor Joseph Murphy said he expected the case – which relies heavily on CCTV evidence – would last no more than three days.
Judge Patrick McGurgan released all three accused on continuing bail and scheduled the trial to begin on May 14.
