Search icon

News

20th Apr 2022

Man first to be charged with murder under new domestic abuse law over death of Alyson Nelson in NI

Ellen Fitzpatrick

He appeared in court today.

A man has been remanded in custody over the alleged murder of a woman in Co Antrim over the weekend.

64 year old Alyson Nelson was found stabbed at a property in the Victoria Avenue area of Whitehead on Saturday and 66 year old William Finlay appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

He indicated in court that he understood after the hearing that he had been charged with murder aggravated by reason of causing domestic abuse.

This new charge comes from the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 which only came into effect earlier this year.

A detective said in court that she believed that she could connect the accused to these charges and no application for bail was made.

Finlay has since been remanded in custody and is due to appear before the court again via video link on May 15th.