Lyra trial told shots may have been for propaganda

The Lyra McKee murder trial has heard that the shots which killed her could have been fired for propaganda purposes, not meaning to cause "any physical harm".

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.

Closing submissions from the defence at the trial began at Belfast Crown Court on Monday.

During those submissions, it was suggested that police Land Rovers were the target of the shooting.

However, those vehicles were bullet proofed, therefore it was argued that the motivation to fire rounds could have been for a propaganda exercise, not to cause any injury or harm.

John Kearney KC said there is still "substantial harm from staging propaganda".

He added given the context of an MTV film crew being in the area that day, the shots could have been for "publicity purposes", but were "not for fun".

Kearney said this was an important contextual background to the disorder.

The court heard the burst of shots lasted about 30 seconds.

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 submissions on Monday, a barrister examined the prosecution's case of how DNA of one of the accused, Peter Cavanagh, became present on the zip of a burned jacket.

That jacket was found close to the location where a car, hijacked during the riot, and was later abandoned.

Kearney said it could have been "an innocent transfer of DNA".

"Touch transfer, aerosol or sneezing, or talking, or shouting, all those mechanisms would account for primary DNA transfer from the defendant to the coat."

Also on Monday the legal team for Christopher Gillen, 45, from Balbane Pass, who is charged with charges including rioting and throwing a petrol bomb, presented final defence submissions.

His defence barrister Kieran Mallon KC told the court: "This case is all about clothing identification against my client."

Mallon said the prosecution's case of connecting items of clothing, pictured in images shown to the court, to the defendant was not just one bridge too far but "four bridges too far".

Mallon also told the court there was "no forensic link" between a pair of trousers seized from the defendant's house and the defendant.

The defence submissions continue.