Man hacked to death in front of pregnant wife, court is told
Independent: A father was hacked and beaten to death in front of his heavily pregnant wife — who gave birth the next day — and seven-year-old daughter, a jury has heard.
Belfast Crown Court also heard allegations that Julia Mongan pleaded with masked men to stop attacking her husband John Mongan “but they ignored her and continued with the beating”.
Denying the murder are Londonderry men 34-year-old Christopher Stokes, Edward Gabriel Stokes, 38, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be identified because of his age.
The three also deny causing criminal damage to a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep owned by Mr Mongan and Edward Stokes denies a further charge of wounding Mrs Mongan with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, with all the offences dated on February 7 last year.
Opening the case, prosecuting QC Gordon Kerr said Mr Mongan was beaten to death in his Fallswater Street home in west Belfast after a gang of four men burst into the bedroom.