Timothy Walker pleads guilty to the murder of Denis Shearer

A County Down man has been jailed for life after admitting the murder of his partner’s cousin.

Timothy Walker was due to stand trial at Downpatrick Crown Court on Monday, but instead a defense lawyer asked for the 43-year-old to be resentenced.

Walker entered a guilty plea in connection with the murder of Denis Curtis Shearer on March 9, 2021 in Bangor.

His partner, mother-of-four Natalie Brannigan, was also newly charged and admitted that despite knowing or believing Walker had attempted murder, she assisted a perpetrator.

The details of the offenses reveal that on February 28, 2021, Brannigan “undertook an act with the intent to prevent his apprehension or prosecution, namely, using his car to pick up Timothy Walker in the Glencairn area of ​​north Belfast and drive him back to Holywood to drive on to Newtownards to avoid detection and arrest.

The charges arose following an attack on her cousin Mr Shearer at his home on Fernmore Road in Bangor in late February 2021, who died on March 9 that year.

Walker, originally from Abbey Ring in Holywood but now with an address at HMP Maghaberry, struck Mr Shearer with a “blunt instrument” before fleeing the scene, fatally injuring his victim.

Earlier this year, Walker pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, but this was not accepted by the prosecution.