By Tony O’Reilly-
A brutal killer with bipolar disorder has been told he will spend a minimum of 11 years in prison for the pre- Christmas”brutal” killing of two “defenceless” people.
The alcohol-induced double manslaughter of two neighbours who resided in separate flats in an apartment complex at Kinnaird Close in the Antrim Road area of the city rocked the neighbourhood and has left some of the victims family traumatized, but the killer was sentenced under considerations for diminishing responsibility, citing mixed personality disorder and alcohol dependence.
Stephen Arthur Andrew McBrine beat Frances Murray, 37 and Joseph Dutton 47, to death in Ms Murray’s flat in north Belfast on December 23, 2019.
Evil, McBrine also stabbed Ms Murray in the throat with a broken vodka bottle – just hours after punching her in the face and telling her “I’m going to do you in.”At the time of the alcohol-induced double manslaughter, all three resided in separate flats in an apartment complex at Kinnaird Close in the Antrim Road area of the city. Defence solicitor Denis Moloney described the case as a “great tragedy” involving friends who had been drinking together.
The build up to this conviction has been intense and emotive for the family of the victims.
When Bryne was first asked to indicate his plea in relation to the murder of Joseph Dutton on December 23 2019, one women shouted out curses after he said: “On the advice of my legal team, not guilty”.
The trio had been drinking on December 22 and 23 – and the last time Ms Murray was seen alive was when she was captured on an internal CCTV system entering her flat at 10.45am on December 23.
McBrine was seen exiting her flat wearing blood-stained clothing at 12.12pm, and the alarm was raised half an hour later when a neighbour discovered the lifeless bodies of Ms Murray and Mr Dutton in her flat.McBrine – who appeared for the sentence hearing at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with Maghaberry – was handed two life sentences by Mr Justice O’Hara.
He was initially charged with murder, but pleas to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility were accepted.
He also said that McBrine, of Kinnaird Close, lived in close proximity to the deceased.
Police at the scene of Monday’s double murder at Kinnaird Close. Image: Cliff Donaldson.
The court heard the three had been out drinking, but their social night out escalated after a dispute broke out . Police desperately appealed for information, and want to locate a bag of blood-soaked clothing they believe was discarded in the area.
Mr Justice O’Hara imposed the concurrent life sentences on McBrine and told him that he will serve a minimum of 11 years in prison before he is considered eligible for release by the Parole Commissioners.
One family member of Frances Murray anonymously told The Eye Of Media.Com: ” I think it is awful that an evil man like this can be considered for parole after 11 years because he claims to have a mixed personality disorder.
‘There are many people with a mixed personality disorder who won’t have allowed a dispute to escalate into a double murder. I think it is not only horrendous what he has done, but also that the judge could offer him the hope of coming out after just over a decade, after committing murder.
This is not what justice should looks like, I think there must be some consideration to appeal for a more serious ruling’.
The ruling is to be examined by lawyers and considered for a presentation to the Attorney General for a more fitting sentence, if deemed to light. The seriousness of his mixed personality disorder is expected to be the more serious consideration, since alcohol dependence is nothing new, and common among many alcoholics.