A 26-year-old man will go on trial after he pleaded not guilty to murdering his sister and trying to kill her young daughter.

Kornelijus Bracas, of Tresna Walk, Randalstown, appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Friday facing a total of four charges which were allegedly committed on the same date.

Dressed in grey tracksuit and accompanied by a court-appointed interpreter, Mr Bracas replied “no” when the charge was put to him of murdering Alesia Nazarova, which was aggravated by the involvement of domestic abuse.

Mr Bracas replied “not guilty” to attempting to murder his 12-year-old niece.

The defendant, who is originally from Lithuania, further denied charges of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered and the theft of a bank card belonging to his 37-year-old sister.

Ms Nazarova, a mother-of-one, was found dead following a house fire in Church Street in Portadown, County Armagh, on 21 March 2023.

She shared the house with her daughter and Mr Bracas.

It was reported at the time that she had only recently moved to Northern Ireland from eastern Europe.

Her daughter was taken from the scene for treatment in hospital but was subsequently discharged into the care of relatives.

A defence barrister told Mr Justice O’Hara he required three weeks to lodge a defence statement with the court as he required a further consultation with Mr Bracas in HMP Maghaberry to “clarify a number of matters”.

He said he was trying to get a consultant psychiatrist from the University of Salford to “assess what was the defendant’s state of mind at material time”.

A prosecution barrister asked the court to set a date for the trial in the new year, which he said would last up to two weeks.

Mr Justice O’Hara said he would review progress in the case on 29 November and set a trial date for 3 March.

Mr Bracas was remanded back into custody.