A MAN accused of murdering a nine-year-old girl in Northern Ireland 28 years ago is innocent, his lawyer said yesterday.
Robert Black (62) is charged with kidnapping and killing Jennifer Cardy near Lisburn, Co Down.
His solicitor Gabriel Ingram, told Lisburn Magistrates’ Court his Scottish-born client would be denying the allegations.
“He is an innocent man and he will be contesting the charges,” he said.
Jennifer was cycling to a friend’s house near her home in Ballinderry, Co Antrim, when she was abducted on August 12th, 1981.
Her red bike was discovered in a field beside a hedge, near her home. Her body was found six days later by anglers at McKee’s Dam, near Hillsborough.
The defendant arrived before 10am in a white prison van protected by police in an unmarked car.
Black, who provided his address as c/o Her Majesty’s Prison, Wakefield in Yorkshire, spoke only to confirm that he understood the charges during the five-minute preliminary inquiry.
With grey receding hair and a blue pullover, he sat expressionless as the charges were read out.
Resident magistrate Rosemary Watters referred the case to Craigavon Crown Court, where he will be arraigned on March 1st.