Man '˜battered to death by nephew in drunken row over rent money'

A Polish man has appeared in court accused of battering his uncle to death in a drunken argument over rent.
Marek Sinko arrives at Ballymena Magistrates Court where he was charged with the murder of his uncleMarek Sinko arrives at Ballymena Magistrates Court where he was charged with the murder of his uncle
Marek Sinko arrives at Ballymena Magistrates Court where he was charged with the murder of his uncle

Ballymena Magistrates’ Court heard that while 36-year-old Marek Sinko was initially arrested and questioned about the death of 53-year-old Eugeniusz Sinko last October, it was only when police recently received a pathology report stating the cause of death was due to a grade three “traumatic brain injury” the decision was taken to lay a murder charge against him.

Standing handcuffed in the dock, Sinko, from the Townhill Road in Rasharkin, confirmed that he understood the single charge against him, namely that of the murder of his uncle Eugeniusz Sinko on October 22 last year.

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The body of 53-year-old Mr Sinko, a labourer who been living in the area for a number of years, was found in the front yard of the home the uncle and nephew shared on the Townhill Road.

Scales of JusticeScales of Justice
Scales of Justice

In court a PSNI detective inspector described how the victim had suffered 63 separate injuries.

He described how brain injuries were graded one to three, three being the most serious, with injuries in that category being caused by such events as a fall from a great height, a serious road traffic collision or serious assault.

“It’s quite obvious that the victim here was in receipt of a serious assault,” claimed the officer.

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He told the court Marek Sinko claimed to have struck his uncle five times in what he himself admitted was a “brutal” fight over rent money when the pair had been drinking heavily, and further claimed that his uncle had gone outside to wash himself after the fight while he went to bed.

“That’s been disproved by the receipt of a pathology report which states that the victim would have been unconscious within minutes of the assault if not sooner,” said the senior detective.

He added that police also had evidence of “some cleaning of the scene” in the blood-spattered kitchen and that the body of Mr Sinko “may well have been dragged from the kitchen to outside the house”.

The officer said while the victim had “63 noted injuries to his body,” the defendant only had “minor” injuries to his hands, telling the court that his claims of striking his uncle five times “is certainly not the picture we are getting from the post-mortem”.

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He told the court that as well as admitting the assault was “brutal,” the defendant had also admitted that “at no time did his uncle attempt to fight back”.

Reinterviewed on Wednesday, the officer said Marek Sinko “has not changed his stance whatsoever” and maintains he struck the victim five times that he can recall.

The officer said police were objecting to the alleged killer being freed amid fears that he would flee the jurisdiction but during an exchange with District Judge Nigel Broderick, he agreed the defendant had a clear criminal record and had been on police bail since October with no issues or breaches at all.

Defence solicitor Stewart Ballantine said the defendant himself “acknowledges that this is a tragic case for this man and his family” and that “he had never any intention of hurting his uncle”.

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“Right from the outset he gave a clear account of what occurred during the altercation,” said the lawyer, “that his uncle went out the front door, he retired to bed for the night, got up in the morning and went outside and found unfortunately, his uncle’s remains lying with the tap running.”

Mr Ballantine claimed Sinko “immediately sought assistance” and had tried performing CPR himself“ but unfortunately that was not successful”.

Judge Broderick said he would free the defendant given all that he had heard of the background and bail history.

Sinko, however, was remanded into custody after the PPS said they intended to appeal the judge’s decision.

While that appeal will be heard in the High Court, Sinko will appear again in the magistrates’ court on June 14.