Ruslanas Kovalkovas – with an address in Ranfurley Road – is accused of stabbing 49-year-old Rolandas Kvederis to death on March 26.

The 52-year-old defendant previously denied the charge, claiming it to be an act of self-defence.

While Kovalkovas was not required to appear before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday (September 11) before District Judge Michael Ranaghan, the prosecution provided an update in relation to the file.

They explained the full file is “nearly complete” with a target date expected at the end of September. They requested four weeks to review the papers.

Judge Ranaghan noted that the full file had been expected at the end of August and that this has now been “pushed back” until the end of September.

However, defence counsel for Kovalkovas made no objections.

Judge Ranaghan then set the case to return before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court for decision on October 9.

New figures from the Department of Health’s latest “Complaints and Compliments” report show that, between April and December 2025, Health and Social Care Trusts received 5,222 complaints relating to 9,281 separate issues.

That’s a sharp increase on the same nine‑month period the year before, when 4,014 complaints and 6,519 issues were recorded. Over the past five years, complaint issues have climbed from 5,005 in 2020/21 to 8,805 in 2024/25 – before jumping again to 9,281 in just three quarters of 2025/26.

Every Trust is feeling the pressure. Belfast accounts for around a third of all complaints – 1,684 cases – but the Southern Trust still makes up a significant share of the total. Of the 5,222 complaints received across the system during April to December 2025, 647 were about services in the Southern area, roughly one in eight.

The South Eastern Trust recorded 1,088 complaints, the Northern 896, the Western 707, while the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received 200.

Behind each complaint there can be several different problems. The report distinguishes between a complaint – an expression of dissatisfaction from or on behalf of a patient, client or service user – and the individual complaint issues it contains. A single letter or email might, for example, raise concerns about how long someone waited, how staff spoke to them and how clearly things were explained. All three would be logged separately against different categories. That is why 5,222 complaints generated 9,281 distinct issues in just nine months.

Across Northern Ireland, the most common problem areas were quality, institutional issues and communication. Quality concerns – essentially how good, safe or appropriate the care felt – accounted for 2,246 issues, almost a quarter of the total.

Institutional issues, covering systems, processes and things like waiting times, made up 1,912 issues (21 per cent). Communication and information problems were close behind on 1,826 issues (20 per cent). Taken together, almost two‑thirds of all issues related to how care was delivered, how services were organised and how well everything was explained to patients and families.

Hospitals generate the bulk of complaints. Each issue is assigned to a “Programme of Care”, essentially the type of service involved. More than half of all issues recorded between April and December 2025 – 5,283, or 57 per cent – related to the “Acute” Programme of Care, which covers hospital‑based treatment. With major acute sites such as Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill in the Southern area, a large share of the local complaints will be linked to hospital services. The figures underline the pressure those services continue to face.

The report also offers a glimpse of who complaints are about. In 99.7 per cent of complaints, the gender of the patient or client was recorded. Of those, 60 per cent related to female patients and 40 per cent to males.

The median age of the person at the centre of the complaint was 46. Again, those figures are for Northern Ireland as a whole rather than the Southern Trust alone, but they give a sense of the typical profile.

How quickly complaints are dealt with remains a sore point. Under the regional HSC Complaints Policy, Trusts are supposed to provide a full, “substantive” response within 20 working days of receiving a complaint. Where that is not possible, they must send a holding response explaining the delay – and the report stresses that all holding responses are being issued within that 20‑day window.

However, when it comes to full replies, performance is much weaker. During April to December 2025, only 45 per cent of substantive responses across Northern Ireland were sent within 20 working days. In other words, more than half of complainants waited longer than the target timescale to receive a complete answer.

Not every scrap of feedback is negative. The same publication also tracks the number of compliments received by Trusts. In 2025/26, thousands of patients, service users and families took the time to praise staff or services. Cards were the most common way of saying “thank you”, making up almost two‑fifths of compliments, followed by online feedback via Care Opinion and Trust feedback forms. A substantial volume of positive feedback sits alongside the growing number of complaints – a reminder that many people still report very good experiences even as pressure on the system mounts.

The report does not attempt to spell out exactly why complaints have risen so sharply, but the context is clear: long waiting lists, stretched wards, staff shortages and a public that is increasingly willing to speak up when something goes wrong. What the numbers do show clearly is that the Southern Trust area is not immune to the trends seen across Northern Ireland. While Belfast accounts for the largest share of complaints, the Southern Trust’s 647 cases in just nine months underline that many local people are unhappy enough with their care or experience to put their concerns in writing.

The incident occurred on Thursday September 10. The driver will now appear before court to answer to the charges.

A police spokesperson said: “Some people act like the law doesn’t apply to them. One driver in Coalisland found out earlier this evening that it does.

“Our District Proactive Team stopped a vehicle on the move in the town. The driver was suspected to be driving their vehicle in a dangerous condition, without a driver’s licence or insurance.

“A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of offensive weapons, including a knuckle duster and a quantity of suspected class A controlled drugs. The vehicle has been seized for examination by authorised officers.

“On top of everything else during this incident driver’s conduct became disorderly. They will now have to explain themselves to a judge at a future court date.

“Mid Ulster Police are committed to making our communities safer by confronting offenders and ensuring that vehicles on are roads are roadworthy.

“Good policing. Good result. More to follow.”

Armagh I recently received a wonderful email from an awe inspired local resident, who had stumbled upon a lesser-spotted Armagh Womble!

That man, solicitor Diarmuid McKeown explained that he had been out early in the morning, walking to catch a bus, when he noticed a number of empty bottles and cans laying strewn in the vicintiy of Market Square.

Putting his good-citizen foot forward, Diarmuid began collecting a few and popped them in a nearby bin for collection. He thought no more of it.

A few minutes later, further into town, he came across a lady carrying a black bin bag… doing exactly the same thing.

He stopped and spoke with her and what he discovered about this diligent Womble, made him wholly appreciative of the quiet work that often goes unrecognised under the cloak of darkness.

Diarmuid explained: “We got chatting. She had a Scottish accent and, from our conversation, is clearly not originally from these parts, but she told me that she is regularly out around half five or six in the morning walking through the streets of Armagh and that, sadly, she finds them litter-strewn virtually every morning.

“What impressed me was that she wasn’t complaining about it or looking for recognition. She was simply picking it up.

“I left her to catch my bus, but when I glanced back I noticed that she had moved on to tending one of the small flower beds recently installed by the Council.

“I thought there was something rather wonderful about it. Before most of us are even out of bed, here is someone quietly walking around our city, picking up other people’s rubbish and taking enough pride in the place to look after its flowers — apparently for no reason other than that she cares about the place in which she lives.”

While he failed to get the lady’s name, he felt strongly that she – and quite possibly many others like her – deserved a little thank you and some recognition for their efforts.

He continued: “There is plenty written about what is wrong with our towns, perhaps there is room occasionally to celebrate the people who, without fuss or recognition, simply make them a little better.” And, this publication couldn’t agree more!

If you know someone who makes an undercover contribution to the community, feel free to let us know via email at info@armaghi.com. Maybe it’s time to bring those inconspicuous creatures to the fore!

Then there are pubs like Rafferty’s Bar on Thomas Street, Armagh. For therein, you’re likely to be met by proprietor, Berny Rafferty, who has as many stories as you’re willing to hear. Few are quite what you’d expect!

Berny has been at the helm of Rafferty’s – also known as The Cuchulain Bar – for 40 years. Before that, he learned the ropes in the bustling pubs of Dublin and London, bidding a temporary farewell to his home town in order to chase the hubub of big city life.

Recalling his departure from Armagh, Berny said: “At that time, when you left Armagh to find work, half the time the street would be out waving handkerchiefs and crying as if they’d never see you again. Although in my case, I couldn’t get close enough to see whether they were crying or smiling!”

He eventually returned and took over the corner pub with his then girlfriend – now wife – Cathy.

Together, they have forged many memories and plotted many plans… all of it a learning curve.

Of his time as a publican, Berny joked: “Have I made mistakes, yes. Have I enjoyed it, most times. Do I like going to work every day, definitely not! There’s days I don’t want to see the place.

“The bar job is like every other job. Some days you just can’t be bothered, however, ‘must do’ is an awful master.”

Like all public house owners, Berny has standout memories that have now become talking points with his patrons… something to entertain them with over a jar or two.

Sharing one with Armagh I, he recalled: “Our career in Thomas Street was nearly a short shift over one instance… The bar at that stage had both a bar and a lounge and these young lads landed and asked me could they use the lounge area on a certain Saturday afternoon for a gig.

“They said there would probably be 30 or 40 people coming to listen to the band. I was only 24-years-old at the time and readily agreed. On the day of the gig the band entered and set up. There was something different about them, they were dressed as punk rockers!

“When they started, I remember the bar door kept opening and more and more punk rockers kept coming in. I had to stop admittance because of bar capacity, so they sat on the pavement outside. The supposed 30 or 40 turned into over 200. I remember Cathy saying to me ‘what are we going to do?’ and me saying, ‘Keep serving!’

“But then the bar door opened and I could see about 50 Armagh Saturday afternoon shoppers standing across the road staring. They had probably never seen as many face piercings, dyed spiked hair and tartan trousers. There were more pins on show than a factory could make in a month!

“I remember going out into the back hall and putting my hands on my head and looking up at the ceiling and saying to myself ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’ After a couple of seconds I shook myself and said, ‘I’ll just have to wing it!’

“Then a strange thing happened… The door opened and about five or six elderly ladies came in and ordered drink. While at the bar they told me they were in to see their nephews. Half an hour later, when I went down to the lounge, they were up pogoing with the punks!”

Berny said a great night was had by all with not even so much as a glass broken. He later found out several of the ‘punks’ were trainee barristers, medical students and others held very respectable jobs.

“The day taught me a good lesson… you can never judge a book by its cover,” he said.

Then Sunday opening came along. For years pubs in Ireland had been prohibited from serving alcohol on what was traditionally known as ‘The Lord’s Day’.

Pub owners were naturally elated with the change. But Berny was too long in the tooth to believe it would go off without a hitch!

“I wasn’t so sure myself as it meant seven day opening and I had known by my experiences in England with extended hours that people only had so much money to socialise,” he said. “I went with it and I will never forget my first Sunday.”

And so begins another of the publican’s parables: “Myself and Cathy were cleaning – which she still does to this day – then we heard chanting outside. I looked out the window and saw about a dozen people with placards.

“They turned out to be born again Christians who took grievance with the Sunday opening hours. I said I better go out and speak to these people.

“As soon as I stepped outside they stopped chanting and looked at me. I suppose I was staring at them too! After a few seconds they took to their heels and ran down Dobbin Street.

“One of them dropped their placard so I lifted it and ran after them, shouting ‘I only wanted to talk’. With hindsight it probably wasn’t such a good idea to chase someone down the street! I kept the placard for years afterwards waiting for someone to come and pick it up. They never did.”

A painting of the premises gifted to the Rafferty’s by Cathy’s niece, Sheela McGuffin

It’s common knowledge in local bars that regular customers become ‘part of the furniture’ but to those who serve them every day, they become an important part of life.

“Over the years we have had a lot of locals pass away and it always takes a piece of me when it happens,” said Berny. “At the minute, a local that’s been with me from the start isn’t well and he’s never far from my thoughts. I have to say the locals I have now are brilliant. You can leave your wallet and phones on the bar and go to the toilet or smoke room and they won’t be touched. Nowadays, that’s a rarity.

“Our locals have a great sense of humour and in the morning they call me ‘The Doctor’, and in the afternoon ‘Honest Berny’.”

To the outsider looking in, bar life can seem idyllic. Like a home from home where there’s constant craic. But good old Honest Berny can always be relied upon to tell it how it is.

“The bar is probably one of the hardest jobs to do,” said Berny. “The public only see you standing behind the bar and everyone wants to own a pub. They don’t see the hours before and after opening and closing. I have seen people taking on bars after a few months the rude awakening hits them and they sell up.

“When I first took on Thomas Street a lady publican who had a bar on The Shambles gave me some advice. She said, ‘To be a publican you have to be a rare breed. One minute you can be the best thing since sliced bread and the next minute you can be the biggest dirty rat in town.’ I always minded her advice.”

The fact is, hospitality is a struggling industry in Northern Ireland. And Berny has his own thoughts on why this might be.

He explained: “The bars in Ireland always had the reputation of being the best in the world. People, when they are abroad flock to Irish bars, but they don’t do it when they are at home. The bars here are closing at an alarming rate.

“When I came to Thomas Street there were five working bars, one had just closed and turned into a pipe shop. Now Rafferty’s stands alone as the only bar in the street. When I was growing up, there were 43 public houses in Armagh city and a friend of mine who was ten years older could remember seventy!

“Now, even though the population of the city has grown, there are only ten working bars left.

“Most people would have blamed Covid and the smoking ban for the demise of pubs in Ireland but I believe it started earlier in 2007/2008. We have never got back after that crash. In a 2008 Oxford University survey, the only city in England, Scotland and Wales and the six counties that wasn’t affected by the recession was Armagh.

Rafferty’s “smallest beer garden in Ireland”

“The reason being is that Armagh city never got any of the Celtic Tiger benefits and was always in recession so it just staggered on. The second part of the survey looked at the highest house prices per capital and again Armagh came out at number one.”

Berny said it was to do with Armagh becoming a “commuter town” and he often warned young people to not let their houses become their prisons and that they can afford to live. He believes high house prices had a lot to do with an increase in at-home drinking, too.

Said Berny: “If a father brings his son to the pub for his 18th birthday and buys him a pint, the next weekend the young lad goes out to the off licence with his friends and spots the beer in a can and they all buy it.”

But to the long-standing business owner, pubs are a “social thing”, where you meet different people, maybe even the love of your life, and sometimes even get job offers!

Talking about some of his premises’ most quirky details, Berny said: “I’ve always had an awful draw to Thomas Street, which I couldn’t explain, but then a few years ago, a man came into the bar and gave me a document.

“The document was a copy of the 1840 New Directory. When I went down through the list of publicans and Tavern keepers I came across a Bernard Rafferty (my own name and my father’s name) and a Patrick Rafferty (my brother and my grandfather’s name). I find it strange that there were two Rafferty pubs in Thomas Street before 1840. I have always meant to research it but haven’t yet found the time.”

He’s also the very proud owner of “the smallest beer garden in Ireland”! After knocking through into the old women’s toilets to create an outdoor smoking area, Berny said the council planning officials just about passed it as legal with just 3mm of clearance!

The confirmation came as one local representative asked where he should forward the repair bill for his latest flat tyre.

DUP Alderman Mark Baxter hit out at the state of the road up to the Palace and said something urgently needed to be done ahead of this year’s Georgian Festival.

He reacted to the welcome news that ABC Council had secured an additional £30,000 from Tourism NI towards the annual Georgian showcase at the end of November, which was confirmed in a report by Brian Johnston, Head of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

But Alderman Baxter, speaking at September’s economic development and regeneration committee, asked if there was any of that money that could be directed towards the potholes at the Palace.

“We give off here to DfI on a regular basis about potholes in the borough, but that road going up to the Palace is probably one of the worst in the borough, and I think council are responsible for that,” said Alderman Baxter.

“I don’t know what the story is about getting that fixed but that’s horrendous. I don’t know where to send my bill for my latest flat tyre; I don’t know whether to send it to you, Brian, or whoever, but it’s certainly coming to council anyway.”

Alderman Baxter asked if “anybody knows anything about it” because repairs were long overdue.

Councillor Kyle Savage, chairing the committee, said the concerns could be passed to the head of estates to look into.

But Alderman Baxter responded: “I’m sure there’s somebody here would know too. 
Surely it’s been talked about. Surely it’s very high up the agenda.

“If we’re talking about tourism and bringing tourists into the Georgian Festival in Armagh, I wouldn’t fancy driving a horse and cart up the mall into the Palace. 
There’ll be cartwheels all over the show.”

The committee chair said he “totally agreed”.

When serving as Deputy Lord Mayor in recent years, potholes were an issue then.

And Councillor Savage added: “I was up there a few weeks back and the same potholes are still there, so that’s not good enough.”

He again said he would pass the issue to the head of estates for feedback.

SDLP Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon, however, said he had flagged the Palace potholes on multiple occasions in the past and had now been advised “contractors are due on site in October, six months after it was first raised”.