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A 34-year-old man has been jailed for at least 21 years for the murder of a man in Newtownabbey two years ago.

Michael Campbell killed Roy Reynolds in a flat in Rathcoole and then got help to take the victim's body to a reservoir near Carrickfergus.

A judge described the murder as "brutal in the extreme" and "merciless".

Roy Reynolds, 54, died after being beaten and stabbed. His remains were placed in a car boot and taken to North Woodburn Reservoir.

Campbell, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, admitted murdering Mr Reynolds, in March 2022.

He also admitted a charge of attempting to prevent the burial of the victim's body.

Mr Justice O'Hara said the way in which Mr Reynolds' body was removed from the scene and dumped made matters "many, many times" worse.

Another man Robert Fulton, 70, of Brickhill Park, Newtownabbey, was sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment for helping with the disposal of the body.

His sentence was reduced to one year and two months because of his early guilty plea and his "genuine remorse".

Fulton will not go to prison because of time already served in jail in relation to the case.

'Unimaginable tragedy'

Det Insp Sean Armstrong from the PSNI described the murder as a "horrific attack" that was "made even more disturbing by the callous way that the two subsequently disposed of his body".

He paid tribute to the "strength, patience, and dignity" shown by Mr Reynolds' family during the investigation and trial.

Eric McCulley, Mr Reynolds' brother-in-law, said that Roy was a "cherished brother, father, and grandfather".

Speaking outside court in Belfast on Wednesday, he said the family had experienced an "unimaginable tragedy".

Mr Culley added that the family wished to thank those who had come forward to the police with information about the murder.

In a statement after the sentencing, Mairead Lavery from the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said Campbell subjected Mr Reynolds to a "ferociously violent and senseless attack".

She said the PPS and PSNI worked closely to "build a strong case against both defendants".

"Mr Reynolds was much-loved and his loss in these most painful circumstances have left a terrible void in the lives of his family and friends. I want to thank Mr Reynolds' loved ones for their dignity throughout these proceedings," Ms Lavery added.

"I hope that the conclusion of this case will bring some small sense of comfort as they attempt to rebuild their lives without him."