A 38-year-old man has been ordered to face trial in June 2027 for the murder of Barry Furfey, a 42-year-old from Lisburn who died following a violent incident at an apartment building. According to BBC News, Jamie Laurie Spence appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Furfey was discovered with serious injuries in an apartment block on Wardsborough Road in Lisburn on 15 September 2025. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he subsequently died from his injuries. Spence, whose address was recorded as HMP Maghaberry, was arraigned on the murder charge and remanded into custody following the hearing.
At an earlier court appearance, a detective revealed that Spence admitted punching Furfey twice after claiming Furfey had touched his co-accused's leg, though Spence stated they later reconciled and Furfey fell from a chair. However, a preliminary post-mortem examination identified blunt-force trauma to the head and rib fractures, injuries the pathologist said were inconsistent with a fall.
Who else is charged in connection with the death?
Spence's co-accused, 39-year-old Melissa Atkinson from Foyle Road in Londonderry, faces the same murder charge. Her arraignment was postponed and is now scheduled for 13 November 2026. Atkinson denied witnessing any assault or having knowledge of the alleged leg-touching incident, and the court refused her bail due to concerns about possible witness interference and public disorder. Spence was excused from attending Atkinson's arraignment hearing.
What will the trial involve?
Spence's barrister, John Kearney KC, informed Mr Justice Stephen Fowler that the defence would be seeking multiple expert reports before trial. These will include a psychiatric assessment, a pathology report, and a toxicology report. Crown barrister Sam Magee KC advised the court that the trial is expected to last approximately two weeks, with proceedings set to commence on 1 June 2027.
Key Facts
- Barry Furfey, 42, was found with serious injuries at an apartment block in Lisburn on 15 September 2025 and died in hospital
- Jamie Laurie Spence, 38, pleaded not guilty to murder at Belfast Crown Court
- The trial is scheduled to begin on 1 June 2027 and is expected to last around two weeks
- Co-accused Melissa Atkinson, 39, is due to be arraigned on 13 November 2026
- Defence experts will prepare psychiatric, pathology, and toxicology reports ahead of trial
