A court in Belfast has heard evidence about how the remains of 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell were discovered in household bins in Ballymena, County Antrim, roughly a week after she went missing in June 2023. According to BBC News, Brandon Rainey, aged 30 and formerly of James Street in Ballymena, denies both murdering Mitchell and preventing the lawful burial of her remains.
During testimony at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, 9 November, a police constable described discovering human remains in bins while conducting door-to-door inquiries on 11 June 2023. The officer explained that a householder had apologised for a smell emanating from their bin, which prompted the search that led to the grim discovery.
How were the remains found?
The police officer recounted detecting a "putrid" odour while conducting inquiries in the James Street area. Upon opening the bin, he encountered an "overwhelming stench" and maggots that had spilled out, causing him to struggle against nausea. Based on his suspicions about the case and CCTV footage he had previously reviewed, the officer believed the bin contained human remains.
The footage had captured a figure moving back and forth in the area. By retracing those movements, the officer identified a second bin that he suspected held additional remains. This bin also contained flies and was confirmed to hold human remains.
What evidence was presented in court?
The court heard a witness statement from someone who attended a barbecue with Rainey in the days before Mitchell disappeared. According to the testimony read in court, the witness reported overhearing Rainey ask his mother:
Would you still love me if I dismembered 50 people and hid their parts?
Photographs of Rainey's flat on James Street, taken after Mitchell went missing, were shown to the jury. The images revealed numerous knives, blood identified in multiple locations including the living room, bedroom and hallway, and an area of burnt debris outside the property.
The prosecution alleged that Rainey killed Mitchell in the early hours of 3 June 2023, between 00:36 and 05:18, though he denies the charges. According to the Irish News, the trial heard that Rainey allegedly later told a man he used knives and a hammer to kill Mitchell and dispose of her body.
What forensic evidence has emerged?
The state pathologist attributed Mitchell's death to blunt-force head trauma, possible gagging and chest stab wounds. The jury was informed that Mitchell had sustained at least 55 stab wounds to her torso. Police evidence also included the discovery of a crossbow and blood-spatter evidence in Rainey's flat.
The prosecution told the jury that CCTV recorded a figure carrying something bulky on three short trips at 05:18 on 3 June, and alleges that figure was Rainey.
What is the background to this case?
Rainey's trial had originally been scheduled to begin in March 2026, but was rescheduled after his previous legal team withdrew from the case. A judge subsequently set 3 November 2026 as the new trial start date, following a psychiatric assessment that was completed by mid-October.
The trial commenced on 3 November 2026 at Belfast Crown Court, with the jury sworn in to hear the case against Rainey for the murder of Mitchell on 3 June 2023. The prosecution has alleged that he killed her at his house and disposed of her dismembered remains in a wheelie bin.
What happens next?
The trial was continuing after the evidence presented on Monday, 9 November. Further proceedings are expected as the prosecution and defence present their cases to the jury.
