91Èȱ¬

A 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death in an alleged "revenge" attack in Limavady, a court has been told.

Two brothers appeared in court on Tuesday charged with the murder of Blake Newland on Friday evening.

The teenager was stabbed multiple times in the Woodland Walk area of the town.

Stephen McGlinchey, 27, from Ballyhanedin Road in Claudy and Andrew McGlinchey, 29, from Roe Mill Gardens in Limavady, are jointly charged with the teenager's murder on 2 February.

Andrew McGlinchey is also charged with assaulting a police officer on the same date.

Both men appeared via videolink at Antrim Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Two youths who cannot be identified also appeared at the same court, charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent on the brothers' father, Michael McGlinchey, on Friday.

During bail applications for the youths, a police witness said they believed Blake Newland's death was an alleged "revenge" attack by Stephen and Andrew McGlinchey.

The court was told that Stephen McGlinchey and a friend were out walking when they were assaulted by the two youths and Blake Newland at about 20:50 GMT.

Following this alleged assault, the McGlinchey brothers and their father then went to Blake Newland's home.

When the McGlincheys arrived at the house, the police officer said, a "melee started" as Blake Newland and the youths came out.

The three teenagers were allegedly armed with a "spike implement" and ropes, which had either a block of wood or a brick tied at the end, and the other with a metal bar tied at the end.

The officer said that when police later attended the property, they found Blake Newland lying injured on the kitchen floor, and he "wasn't breathing and there were apparent stab wounds to his chest".

In follow-up searches, police uncovered a blood-stained kitchen knife, as well as a broken hacksaw "within 100 metres" of Mr Newland's house.

He also said that a "crude" rope-based weapon and a blood-stained metal bar were also found.

The court was that the kitchen knife alleged used to stab the 17-year-old to death has both Blake Newland's blood on it and DNA allegedly attributable to the McGlinchey brothers.

Defence counsel for one of the youths told the court that when his defendant left the house "he wasn't armed".

"He saw his friend Blake being brutally assaulted by other men and he saw Michael McGlinchey running at them with a sharp implement or a screwdriver," the barrister said.

District Judge Broderick said it was important that "one should not lose sight of the fact that these charges relate to the untimely and tragic death of Blake Newland who himself was a child."

The judge said the case was a chilling reminder of just "how dangerous weapons or knives can be".

The two youths were granted bail.