Pair charged with rioting on night of Lyra McKee's murder refused bail variation

By Q Radio News

District Judge Barney McElholm has refused to vary bail conditions for two of the men charged in connection with the rioting on the night journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead.

Jude McCrory (24) of Magowan Park in Derry and Patrick Gallagher (29) of Pinetrees in Derry are both charged with riot and throwing a petrol bomb on April 18 2019 the night the journalist was shot by the new IRA.

Last week a solicitor for both men asked for what he described as their 'draconian' bail conditions to be removed due to the delay in the case.

He told Derry Magistrate's Court that the bulk of the evidence had been in police hands for two and a half years and there was no reason why the case could not proceed to a preliminary enquiry.

29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead while observing rioting in the Creggan estate in Derry/Londonderry in April 2019

Judge McElholm asked for specific parts of the mainly MTV footage to be shown to the court to ascertain the quality of the evidence against the men.

At today's sitting the court was shown various segments of the MTV forage including film taken in the Saoradh office in Derry, footage in McCrory's home later that evening when they hear police are in the. area and footage of them walking down to where the PSNI had entered Creggan to carry out a search.

At one point the MTV crew are told that there are people 'more than capable of carrying out acts of resistance'.

After watching the footage Judge McElholm said he 'had seen enough' and added that the two men could go to the High Court if they wanted to because he was not going to vary their bail.

A prosecution barrister said that there were still some items outstanding in the case such as a transcript of some of the footage and work on mobile phones in the area of McCrory's house.

The barrister said he was trying to move things on as quickly as possible.

The case was adjourned until November 23.