Stephen McKinney found guilty of murdering wife Lu Na at Lough Erne

by Q Radio News

Co Tyrone man Stephen McKinney has been jailed for life for murdering his wife Lu Na as their children slept on the first night of a family boating holiday on Fermanagh's Lower Lough Erne over four years ago.

As the unanimous guilty verdict was announced the 44-year-old father of two swayed forward slightly on his feet, but showed no other emotion, before taking a sip of water from a bottle when then jailed.

Madam Justice McBride told the scheming McKinney that he had been "convcited of murder and the only sentence I can impose is one of life imprisonment".

McKinney will have to wait before the court later rules on how long he must serve before being consider for release from the life term by the Parole Commissioners.

Stephen McKinney was found guilty of murder his wife Lu Na at Lough Erne in 2017

The Dungannon Crown Court jury of eight men and four women took just over an hour and a half to reach their unanimous verdict at the end of his 12 week trial into what occured at the Devenish Island west jetty before his 40-minute 999 call for help in the early hours of April 13 2017.

By their verdict the jury must have accepted the prosecution had 'proved behond reasonable doubt' their circumstantial case accusing McKinney of being a con artist and a liar and in reality a controlling man who'd tired of his 35-year-old wife, yet feared she might divorce him.

They must also have accepted the contention of prosecution QC Richard Weir that McKinney caused Lu Na to 'enter the water of the Lower Lough', that he "killed her" and her death "was no tragic boating accident".

In turn the jury must have rejected McKinney's claims his wife who'd taken at least one sleeping tablet simply disappeared off the end of the hire-cruiser into "blackness" after going to check the mooring ropes and that he did everything to save her.

They must also have ignored defence QC Martin O'Rourke's contention McKinney was truthful throughout and his 999 calls provided a "ringside seat" into what happened, backed up by other witnesses and his own police interviews.

This is the second time that Mr McKinney originally from Strabane, and who lived with his wife and children in Convoy, Donegal, but bailed to live in Castletown Square, Fintona, has been on trial.

Last year his original trial for the murder of his wife between April 11 and 14 2017, had to be adjourned because of the start of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.