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Man denies murdering dad-of-two who died after assault

Family handout Stephen Holmes, who has short dark brown hair and beard, is sitting by the pool and looking into the camera. There's a pool float in the water behind him.Family handout
Stephen Holmes died in Altnagelvin Hospital following the incident

A man has denied murdering a 31-year-old father-of-two who died after being assaulted.

Stephen Holmes died in Altnagelvin Hosptial hospital five days after the assault at a house in Strabane in County Tyrone in February 2025.

At Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday, Dylan McCrossan from Beechmount Village, Strabane denied a charge of murder.

McCrossan, who is 33, was remanded into custody and is due to face trial at a later date.

A defence barrister said a doctor had met McCrossan on two occasions as part of compiling an assessment and report for the court.

The barrister said the "only matter" now delaying the report was that the medic "wants to explore the previous criminal record" of the accused.

He added that the doctor had "indicated to us that he will have the report with us within a matter of weeks once he receives that."

McCrossan's barrister also told judge Madam Justice McBride that once the medical report was received, it might have a "potential knock-on effect in terms of the defence statement."

A prosecution barrister told the judge the prosecution may need to instruct its own medical expert once the defence report had been received.

Madam Justice McBride said it made no sense to set a date for the trial to commence.

The judge said she would review the case on 18 September.