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Murder accused fully committed for trial – alleged serious assault man remanded

June 7, 2012

EXCLUSIVE:

MURDER accused Paul Deeney was yesterday fully committed for trial at Dunoon Sheriff Court over the death of Mark McGauchie in the town last week.

Mr McGauchie’s lifeless body was found inside a house at 88 Cowal Place at 1am on Monday morning, 28 May.

Deeney, 33 – charged with repeatedly stabbing Mr McGauchie, also 33, on the body with a knife or other similar instrument – was arrested by detectives 38 hours later.

He made no plea or declaration during a brief petition hearing in private before Sheriff Thomas Ward yesterday afternoon.

Deeney – represented by defence solicitor Aidan Gallagher – was fully committed before being remanded to Greenock Prison pending a High Court trial.

The accused is originally from Port Glasgow but had been living in a flat at Helena Place, Marine Parade, Kirn, at the time of Mr McGauchie’s death.

The house where the dead man’s body was found was last night locked with metal boards fixed over the doors and windows of the property.

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A MAN accused of seriously assaulting Dunoon man John Findlay at a house in the town’s Kirk Street was also remanded after appearing before Sheriff Ward.

Nigel Smith, 42 – charged with assault to severe injury – made no plea or declaration during his petition hearing in private.

Mr Findlay, 45, had to be rushed to Inverclyde Royal Hospital with head injuries following an incident at a house in Kirk Street, Dunoon.

Police – who were alerted to the matter at the same time as Mr McGauchie’s body was found in Cowal Place – were initially keeping an open mind over a possible link between the two incidents but later ruled that out.

Another man – understood to be serious assault accused Smith’s son Robert, 24 – has also been reported to the fiscal in connection with the alleged attack on Mr Findlay.

A Crown Office spokeswoman told CowalCourier.com: “We can confirm that the Procurator Fiscal has received a report concerning a 24-year-old man in connection with an incident on 28 May.

“The report remains under the consideration of the Procurator Fiscal.”

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A DUNOON man has been charged with assaulting a woman by slapping her on the head.

Gary Docherty, 30, is alleged to have assaulted the female in Ardgowan Road in Wemyss Bay on 18 December last year.

Docherty is also charged with committing a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing and uttering threats on the same date.

Defence solicitor Derek Buchanan pleaded not guilty to both charges on behalf of the accused when the case called at Greenock Sheriff Court.

Docherty is expected back to appear for trial in September.