No stone unturned to get Lyra McKee justice, says family

The family of Lyra McKee have said "no stone will be left unturned" to get justice after three men were found not guilty of her murder.

Nichola Corner, the sister of Ms McKee, also called for an end to the "culture of silence" in Northern Ireland which meant people did not come forward with information about the killing.

Ms McKee, 29, died after being hit by a bullet as she stood close to police vehicles while observing disturbances in the Creggan area of Derry on 18 April 2019.

Paul McIntyre, 58, of Kells Walk in Derry, Peter Cavanagh, 38, of Mary Street, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, of Bishop Street, faced a joint enterprise murder charge.

Judge Ms Justice Smyth found all three not guilty of murder in the long-running non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court due to insufficient evidence in the prosecution case against the men which was wholly circumstantial.

She said the gunman has never been brought before court, and expressed regret that the trial will "not have brought any comfort" to Ms McKee's family.

In the public gallery, friends and relatives of the accused sat on one side, while friends and relatives of Ms McKee, and members of the NUJ, sat on the other.

Members of Ms McKee’s family left the court after the non-guilty verdicts on the three murder charges were delivered.

Speaking outside court, Ms Corner said: "Today has come as a complete and utter shock to us as a family."

She added: "The system has completely failed Lyra and has failed our family, and has failed Northern Ireland, to be perfectly honest."

Ms Corner said: "There is also a situation which is ongoing in our country and has been for many years, and that people are afraid to speak out, they are afraid to tell the truth, they are afraid to share information that they have.

"Over 150 people witnessed this event on the 18th of April 2019.

"Not one of those 150 people came forward with evidence.

"That culture of silence needs to stop in Northern Ireland, it is unfair to victims."

She said: "I’ll tell you what will not happen, that we will not go down with this.

"This is not over. Lyra said, 'if you’re going to go down, go down fighting’, and I can tell you right now that every one of my family will, because we do this for Lyra.

"She deserves justice."

She added: "This started seven years, two months and two weeks ago, when people came out onto a street with a lethal weapon and fired at police, knowing that there were innocent people watching, knowing that there were innocent people outside homes, knowing that there were innocent people who could potentially be put into danger, that was when this began for us.

"We have been having to carry that strength for a very long time, and our strength comes from the strength of heart, which our mother had and shared with us all.

"That strength comes from our love for Lyra and our desire to ensure that she gets justice, and that no stone is left unturned to ensure that that happens, and I assure you that every stone will be checked."

On the night Ms McKee was killed, several petrol bombs had been directed at police and a car was set on fire during chaotic scenes which culminated in four shots being fired towards officers.

One of the shots hit Ms McKee.

The New IRA claimed responsibility for the death of Ms McKee.

The prosecution’s case was that the three men had accompanied a lone gunman on the night Ms McKee was killed and encouraged or assisted him.

But defence barristers have criticised the standard of the evidence in the case, which was almost entirely circumstantial.

Ms Justice Smyth found that the shots were fired by the gunman with "murderous intent", and there was "obvious intention" to kill or seriously injure police, and an intention to launch a fatal attack as a "fatal finale" to the attack on police in order to "guarantee the oxygen of publicity".

She said while the intended target had been police, Ms McKee "was murdered".

Another five men were charged with being directly involved in the rioting.

Four were acquitted, while the fifth, Christopher Gillen, 45, of Balbane Pass in Derry, was convicted of riot, possession of petrol bombs in suspicious circumstances and throwing petrol bombs.

Meanwhile, Kieran McCool, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens in Derry was convicted of common assault of a community worker.

Finishing her lengthy judgment this afternoon, Ms Justice Smyth described Ms McKee’s murder as an "act of senseless violence".

"The gunman has never been brought to the court and the evidence against those accused of assisting or encouraging has fallen short of that required for conviction," she said.

"I wish to acknowledge the family and friends of Lyra McKee who have endured a protracted trial which has brought them little if any comfort or relief, and I regret that."

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Michael Agnew described a "complex and challenging case".

"This was a very complex and challenging case which drew from multiple strands of evidence, including detailed analysis of video footage, mobile phone material, and forensic evidence," he said.

"We recognise that today’s acquittals will be deeply disappointing to Lyra’s family and loved ones.

"Our thoughts are foremost with them as they continue to endure the profound loss caused by her murder."