Man found guilty of Damien Heagney’s murder

A 41-YEAR-OLD man has been convicted of the murder of Damien Heagney, whose dismembered remains were discovered in a remote Tyrone reservoir months after he vanished without trace.

Stephen Eugene McCourt (41), previously of McGartland Terrace, Dromore, and latterly of Riverview in Augher, denied murdering the victim between December 31, 2021 and January 6, 2022, but the jury took just under three hours to unanimously convict him.

The trial at Dungannon Crown Court heard that, in July 2022, Mr Heagney’s GP practice contacted police to carry out a welfare check as he hadn’t collected his medication in-person since December7, 2021 and, until May 2022, was lifted by someone else who claimed to have permission to do so.

Police launched a missing person investigation.

However, after information was received, the matter was updated to a murder inquiry.

Then, on August 10, 2022, Mr Heaney’s dismembered remains were recovered in two packages from Cappagh Reservoir near Pomeroy.

After three weeks of evidence, the prosecution case closed on Monday.

Immediately after, defence counsel stated McCourt would not be giving evidence.

During the trial multiple witnesses were called, including a vehicle recovery operator who collected Mr Heagney’s broken down car and moved it to McCourt’s home in Dromore on New Year’s Eve 2021.

A few days later, McCourt’s neighbour observed him placing strips of carpet into the rear of a white van, noting one piece had a large, dark stain.

In early January 2022, a vehicle recovery operator, who knew McCourt as ‘Reggie’, removed a BMW from his home.

A few days later he towed a white van for McCourt which had become stuck in grass near Cappagh Reservoir where, ‘Reggie opened the gate’ to let him in.

0n August 10, 2022, an NI Water Inspector observed a suspicious package encased in sheepwire in Cappagh Reservoir and alerted authorities.

A diver observed a human foot and subsequently two legs with wire around the upper parts.

The body had been cut in half and a second package was located nearby.

The torso was never found.

The pathologist could not ascertain a cause of death, ‘due to decomposition and dismemberment’.

There were three stab-like injuries to the head and neck, similar wounds to the arms and multiple incisions to the left leg.

The injuries required at least moderate force and, if inflicted during life, would have bled briskly but unlikely to prove life-threatening.

The pathologist said, “The upper limbs had been disarticulated and the lower limbs were dismembered.

“They had been cut uniformly, strongly suggestive of sawing, quite possibly some form of electric saw…

“All remains were in a similar state and could have been in the water since Mr Heagney’s disappearance, however this cannot be stated with absolute certainty.”

The jury retired to commence deliberations on Tuesday, which resumed yesterday, returning a unanimous guilty verdict after a combined total of around four hours.

Mr Justice Fowler told McCourt, “You have been found guilty of murder and there is only one sentence I can impose and that is life imprisonment.”

A minimum tariff hearing will be set in due course.

Before concluding, Mr Justice Fowler commended Mr Heagney’s family on how they had conducted themselves during the ‘difficult’ trial process.