Prosecution makes final submissions in Lyra McKee murder trial

The Lyra McKee murder trial has been hearing final submissions from the prosecution in the case against nine men charged in connection with her killing.

The journalist was shot dead while observing rioting in the Creggan area of Londonderry in April 2019.

The New IRA admitted responsibility for the 29-year-old's murder.

Peter Cavanagh, 37, of Mary Street in Derry; Jordan Devine, 25, of Bishop Street; and Paul McIntyre, 58, of Kells Walk are all charged with murder, which they deny.

Six other men from Derry face charges including rioting and throwing a petrol bomb.

They are: Joseph Barr, 37, of Sandringham Drive; Jude McCrory, 28, of Gartan Square; Joseph Anthony Campbell, 25, of Goshaden Cottages; Patrick Anthony Gallagher, 33, of John Field Place; Kieran George McCool, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens; and Christopher Joseph Gillen, 45, of Balbane Pass.

All of them deny the charges. None of the men gave evidence in their defence.

One other defendant, William Patrick Elliott, 58, formerly of Ballymagowan Gardens, died last year.

During the prosecution's closing submissions, a barrister outlined the case against one of the accused, Paul McIntyre.

He said McIntyre performed a leading role on the night of the shooting, both in the rioting and as a part of the shooting party.

The barrister said that the evidence against McIntyre on "imagery alone was overwhelming".

The court was shown still images, MTV footage, CCTV and mobile phone footage that the prosecution said shows McIntyre at the scene during the rioting and the shooting.

The evidence of a forensic image analyst was used by the prosecution throughout the submissions.

The prosecution said that the person identified as 'person D' by the expert was McIntyre.

It outlined the clothing and trainers that McIntyre was wearing both on the day Lyra McKee was killed and the days leading up to it.

The prosecution said McIntyre's clothing could be "definitively connected to him when he was unmasked".

They also said they could connect him by a tattoo and a bracelet. McIntyre had the word 'Paul' tattooed on his knuckles.

The prosecution barrister went into detail listing the clothes that McIntyre wore on the days before the murder.

He said McIntyre was wearing "distinctive trainers with a lace adornment", a pair of O'Neills tracksuit bottoms and a Nike cap in an office on the morning of 18 April, the day Ms McKee was shot.

He added McIntyre was wearing the same Adidas trainers on every occasion when he was being filmed by MTV between 14 and 18 April.

The court heard that the similarities between 'person D' identified by the image analyst and McIntyre were "unchallenged" and that no "alternative candidate" had been put forward as 'person D'.

Several items of McIntyre's clothing were never recovered by police.

During the prosecution's closing submissions, a barrister outlined the case against another one of the accused, Jordan Devine.

The court was shown videos of the night Ms McKee was killed.

The prosecution told the court "you can see this person is behind the gunman" he said "while shooting is ongoing".

David McDowell KC told Belfast Crown Court that the "imagery is enough to prove it is Jordan Devine. He has a distinctive Long Kesh shirt, cap and snood".

The court heard that texts show Devine "wasn't at home" the evening Lyra was shot.

The court was told that his mother and girlfriend were texting him showing the "phone was home. He wasn't", according to the prosecution.

Christopher Gillen, 45, from Balbane Pass is charged with charges including rioting and throwing a petrol bomb.

The court was shown a photo of a masked man standing close to the shops where Ms McKee was killed.

The court was told the prosecution believe that the masked person is Gillen.

The prosecution told that court that Gillen was wearing a "familiar tracksuit and shoes with his t shirt covering his face".

The court heard that there was "overwhelming evidence against him".

The court was shown photos of Gillen wearing similar clothes on previous days.

The court heard that Gillen called McIntyre four times that evening.

The prosecution told the court: "The phone evidence is consistent rather than remarkable."

The court heard that there is "bad character" against him because he "failed to account for any of the evidence against him".