A MAN appeared in court yesterday, charged with the murder last week of a 15-month-old Co Fermanagh infant. Millie Martin died from injuries in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children on Friday when her life support was switched off.
Barry Michael McCarney (30), originally from Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, appeared before magistrate Greg McCourt at Omagh, charged with a single count of murder. The charge sheet records that he replied to detectives when charged: “I’m saddened and sickened by Millie’s death. I’m totally innocent of this charge. I’ve nothing whatever to do with the death of Millie Martin.”
Mr McCarney appeared in court flanked by officers and dressed in a white T-shirt, short-sleeved grey sweat top and a pair of light casual trousers. He spoke only once in court, to confirm his identity.
Det Insp John Caldwell of the PSNI took the stand to tell the magistrate he was the deputy senior investigative officer in the case and that he believed he could connect the accused to the charge.
The defendant’s solicitor, Conor Heaney, asked the detective to confirm that his client had denied involvement in the murder of Millie during the four days when he was held for police questioning. Det Insp Caldwell confirmed this.
Mr Heaney also asked if it was true that the PSNI investigators had no scientific evidence relating to the child’s injuries linking the defendant to the charge against him at this stage. Det Insp Caldwell agreed but said that the investigation was ongoing.
In response to the judge’s request for background information relating to the death, the court heard that the PSNI had been contacted by the Erne hospital in Enniskillen on Thursday following the admission of Millie Martin.
She had been admitted with a series of injuries and with bruising in the vaginal area which aroused suspicion that she had been sexually assaulted.
After a series of tests she was transferred to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children for specialist intensive care.
Det Insp Caldwell told the court that Rachel Martin, the child’s mother, had left the house at about 8pm last Thursday, leaving her daughter in the care of the accused, who is her partner.
“The child was okay at 8pm and around 20 minutes later the child was taken to hospital in such a lifeless condition,” the detective told the court. There had been no one else in the house, he said.
He further told the court that the child had also been left in the defendant’s care on Wednesday, the previous day, and that Ms Martin had tried to ring the house while she was out but had not received an answer.
She was later told that the defendant could not answer her call as he was in the toilet at the time. However, under police questioning, he said he had gone out to collect sticks.
The next morning, the child’s mother noted that her daughter appeared lethargic and that one of her eyes was closed over.
Det Insp Caldwell told the court that the defendant had gone to work that day, and colleagues had described him as agitated. He left work early complaining of feeling sick, yet he said he would look after Millie that evening.
Det Insp Caldwell told the magistrate: “Despite being so unwell and unable to work he volunteered to look after a sick child.” The defendant was remanded in custody to appear again before the court sitting in Enniskillen on January 11th by video link. An application is being made for legal aid.