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Three men on trial over murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry

Jordan Devine, Peter Cavanagh and Paul McIntyre are charged with journalist Lyra McKee's murder
Jordan Devine, Peter Cavanagh and Paul McIntyre are charged with journalist Lyra McKee's murder

Three men have gone on trial charged with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead in Derry five years ago.

Seven others are also in the dock at Belfast Crown Court on charges linked to disorder on the same night.

The 29-year-old journalist was shot in the head as she observed rioting close to police lines in the Creggan area of the city.

The New IRA admitted responsibility for her murder.

Those charged with her murder are 35-year-old Peter Cavanagh of Mary Street, 23-year-old Jordan Devine of Bishop Street and 56-year-old Paul McIntyre of Kells Walk, all in the city.

They are all also charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition.

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The seven other defendants face a range of lesser charges including riot and throwing petrol bombs.

They are Joseph Patrick Barr, 36, of Sandringham Drive, Prehen Park, Derry, Jude McCrory, 23, of Gartan Square Derry, William Elliott, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry, Joseph Anthony Campbell, 23, of Gosheden Cottages, Derry, Patrick Gallagher, 32, of John Field Place, Derry, Christopher Gillen, 43, of Balbane Pass, Derry, Kieran McCool, 55, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry.

Ms McKee was hit as she stood behind police lines with a group of friends observing disorder on 18 April 2019.

Her murder was met with a public outcry.

Sara Canning (centre), partner of Lyra McKee arriving for the murder trial

The trial heard that Ms McKee had been standing near police land rovers when four shots were fired in their direction by a masked gunman from a nearby corner.

The crown alleges the masked gunman was brought to the firing point by a number of men who assisted him.

It claims that three of those men are the accused Mr McIntyre, Mr Devine and Mr Cavanagh.

The trial has been shown unedited footage shot by a documentary crew in Derry on the day of the shooting.

The programme features presenter Reggie Yates and was being made for MTV.

The programme makers met and were accompanied around Derry by members of Saoradh - a political organisation linked to dissident republicans.

Several of the accused were among those being interviewed.

The sister of Lyra McKee, Nichola McKee Corner arrives at the court

The prosecution drew particular attention to items of clothing being worn by the interviewees.

The trial heard the documentary crew had remained with these individuals and were escorted out of the area a short time before the fatal shooting.

Footage capturing the moment of the shooting was taken by a police evidence camera and from mobile phone video seized from members of the public.

Camera crew footage

Later the court was shown footage of the MTV camera crew being met by a number of masked men who had prepared petrol bombs for an attack on police.

The prosecution claims that a number of the accused, wearing the same distinctive clothing as in the earlier footage, were now amongst the masked group.

The footage shows three masked men moving towards two police land rovers parked in Fanad Drive.

The prosecution claims Mr Gillen, Mr Devine and Mr McIntyre then initiated a petrol bomb attack on the police as a crowd of children looked on.

MTV presenter Reggie Yates asks the Saoradh representatives he is with: "When you see young children watching this, enjoying this, in some sense getting off on it, what do you think?"

Mr Gallagher replied: "It clearly shows that these young people understand why it's happening."

Around this time a community worker who arrived to intervene and stop the rioting was verbally abused and told to leave the area.

All this was happening around 9.45pm, just over an hour before the fatal shooting of Lyra McKee.

The court heard that local people had come out of their homes in Fanad Drive.

Many were standing close to the spot where Ms McKee was later shot dead.

At one point Reggie Yates asks why the officers had not emerged from their land rovers.

Mr Gallagher said the possibility of a gun attack could not be discounted.

Mr Yates further asked whether local people knew who the masked men were.

Mr Gallagher said they could do, but he did not.

"That was totally disingenuous on his part," said a prosecuting lawyer.

"They are his friends and colleagues."