Ardglass man jailed for life over killing of fisherman

Ardglass man jailed for life over killing of fisherman

15 January 2020

AN Ardglass man has been jailed for life after he pleaded guilty to the murder of a Romanian fisherman.

Jason Carr (22), of Crew Hill, confessed to murdering Stefan Zait on May 24 last year when he appeared at Downpatrick Crown Court last Wednesday.

His father, David Brian Carr, (51), of Kildare Court, Ardglass, pleaded guilty at Monday’s Crown Court 

to a single charge of intimidating the murdered man two days before his death.

He admitted threatening Mr Zait “not to contact police or press charges against Jason Carr which intimidated him and was intended to intimidate him”.

Freeing David Carr on continuing bail, Judge Geoffrey Miller told the defendant the “very serious charge” he had admitted “had to be seen in the context of the tragic events of May 22, 2018”.

He warned him however that his release on bail “should not be seen as any indication as to how you will be dealt with ultimately”.

A third co-accused — Nicola Goulding (36), of St Joseph’s Close, Ardglass — pleaded guilty on October 23 last year to a charge of preventing the course of justice.

Goulding admitted to initially telling police that Mr Zait had produced a knife during a confrontation with Jason Carr before the confrontation which led to his death.

Mr Zait (45), who had lived and worked in Ardglass for six years, died two days after being taken 

to hospital with head injuries, including a blood clot to the brain and suspected fractured jaw. 

He had been attacked near the Downpatrick Road and Strangford Road in the village.

Jason Carr and his father both asked to be re-arraigned on their respective charges on the days they were due to stand trial.

Jason Carr also admitted assaulting Mr Zait, stealing a bottle of vodka from him and causing criminal damage to the front door of a property next door to his two days before the murder.  

Following Carr’s confessions, Judge Geoffrey Miller told him that for the offence of murder “there is only one sentence proscribed by law, that of life imprisonment”.

He remanded Carr into immediate custody and ordered psychiatric and medical reports to be compiled.

Some of Carr’s relatives and friends had filled the public gallery, many of them crying and shaking their heads.

All three defendants will be sentenced on February 21 when Judge Miller will set the minimum period Jason Carr is to remain in jail before being considered for release.