A Co Armagh man due to appear in court next week charged with attempting to murder a woman has been found dead in prison.
James Carlisle, who had a previous bail address of Harbour Road in Kilkeel – but originally from Craigavon – died in Maghaberry Prison on Friday morning.
The 42-year-old had been further charged with unlawfully and maliciously causing the female grievous bodily harm and several further assaults, one of which allegedly caused actual bodily harm.
In addition he was facing two counts of intimidating witnesses involving an alleged threat to kill a male and making a “gun gesture in a threatening manner” to a female – both on the basis of knowing they were assisting in an investigation and to cause the course of justice to be perverted.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) said his death was not being treated as suspicious.
“His next of kin has been informed,” an NIPS spokesperson said.
“As is standard practice, the PSNI, coroner and Prisoner Ombudsman have been informed.
“The Prison Service would like to extend its sympathy to the family of the man at this difficult time.”
Carlisle had also been charged with the murders of husband and wife Jacqueline and Hugh McGeough in their Legahory Court home in 2011 but the charges were subsequently dropped.
Five years later, Carlisle himself survived a murder bid outside St Brendan’s Primary School.
The then 36-year-old was shot four times as he was picking his child up from school. He was shot twice in the arm and twice in the chest. Dozens of children and parents witnessed the drive-by shooting.
