A 42-year-old man has denied a charge of murdering his elderly neighbour.

Sean Small's body was discovered outside his Slievenabrock Avenue home in Newcastle, County Down, on 24 August 2025.

The 84-year old convicted sex offender died following what the PSNI described as a "brutal and sustained attack".

Mark William Bready, also from Slievenabrock Avenue, appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court on Monday.

Bready was charged with murdering Small on a date unknown between 18 and 25 August 2025.

When asked by a court clerk how he pleaded to the charge, Bready replied "not guilty".

After her client was arraigned, a defence barrister confirmed a number of expert reports were being sought ahead of the trial.

A date for the two-week hearing to start was then set as 14 June, 2027 by Mr Justice Fowler, who said he would review the case on 4 December.

After McDermott revealed no application for bail was being made, Fowler remanded Bready back into custody.

Although no details regarding Small's death emerged on Monday, it was reported at the time that he had been recently released from prison after serving a sentence for sexual offences.