The Chloe Mitchell murder trial is under way at Belfast Crown Court, more than three years after the 21-year-old disappeared in Ballymena. Brandon Rainey, 30, denies murdering her and denies attempting to prevent the burial of her body.
A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in on Tuesday 3 November, and the trial is expected to last four to five weeks. This page follows the case day by day and sets out what is already on the public record.
Trial under way
The Chloe Mitchell trial
Belfast Crown Court, before Mr Justice Fowler and a jury.
Chloe Mitchell trial latest
The Chloe Mitchell trial began at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday 3 November with the swearing in of the jury, and the evidence was due to begin on Wednesday 4 November.
- Evidence due to beginThe evidence was due to begin on the second day of the trial, the Irish Times reported.
- Jury sworn inFive men and seven women were sworn in. Because the case has had so much publicity, Mr Justice Fowler told them to stay objective, not to do their own research, not to look at social media or commentary about it, and not to discuss it with family or friends, UTV reported. Chloe’s family and friends were in court.
This page reports only what is said in open court and facts already on the public record. It will be updated after each day of the trial.
Who was Chloe Mitchell?
Chloe Mitchell was a 21-year-old from the Harryville area of Ballymena, County Antrim. She was the youngest of six children.
A large crowd gathered for a vigil in Ballymena in June 2023, near where she was last seen, and another was held at Belfast City Hall. On the first anniversary of her death, a mural in her memory was unveiled on Larne Street, according to the record of the case.
At a hearing in September, Chloe’s family and friends filled the public gallery wearing T-shirts calling for justice for her, the Irish News reported.
What happened to Chloe Mitchell?
Chloe Mitchell was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena town centre in the early hours of Saturday 3 June 2023. Human remains were found in the town eight days later, and police confirmed on 26 June that they were hers.
- Chloe is last seen on CCTV in Ballymena town centre in the early hours of the morning.
- She is reported missing, and a large search begins.
- Brandon Rainey is arrested after police go to a flat on James Street in Ballymena.
- Human remains are found in Ballymena, and detectives open a murder investigation.
- Rainey is charged with murder.
- Police confirm the remains are Chloe’s.
Dates from the record of the case and reports in the Irish Times and Irish News.
Where was Chloe Mitchell found?
Chloe Mitchell’s remains were found in Ballymena on Sunday 11 June 2023, eight days after she was last seen, during the search for her. Police confirmed on 26 June that they were hers.
Three days later, on Thursday 29 June, Chloe Mitchell’s funeral was held. The service at her family home was shown on a big screen in King George’s Park in Harryville, where mourners gathered to watch, among them volunteers from the Community Rescue Service who had helped search for her. A piper then led the procession towards Ballee Cemetery, UTV reported.
More detail about where she was found will be added to this page only once the jury has heard it in court.
Who is Brandon Rainey, and what is he charged with?
Brandon John Rainey, 30, formerly of James Street in Ballymena, is charged with murdering Chloe Mitchell and with attempting to prevent the lawful and decent burial of her body. He denies both charges.
He pleaded not guilty at a hearing in 2024. It will be for the jury to decide the case on the evidence it hears in court.
Why has the Chloe Mitchell trial taken so long?
The trial was first due to start in February 2026 and then in March, but a barristers’ strike was holding up Crown Court cases in Northern Ireland at the start of the year, and Rainey’s defence team changed. A judge ruled in September that it would go ahead on 3 November.
The strike began on 5 January 2026 and stopped legally aided Crown Court cases in Northern Ireland from going ahead. Speaking that month, Chloe’s father, George Mitchell, said further delays would bring the family more trauma and heartache, and her aunt, Linda McDowell, said the strike was destroying the family, according to a BBC News NI report.
Brandon Rainey’s original legal team later withdrew from the case, and a new team came on record. In September, Mr Justice Fowler fixed the trial for 3 November, the Irish News reported.
How long will the Chloe Mitchell trial last?
The Chloe Mitchell trial is expected to last four to five weeks from 3 November, which would take it into December, before the jury goes out to consider its verdicts.
Trials often run longer or shorter than first expected, so treat that as a guide rather than a date. This page will be updated as the case goes on, and when the jury returns its verdicts.
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