Lu Na McKinney: Stephen McKinney's defence makes final submissions

Defence lawyers of a man accused of murdering his wife while on a boat trip in County Fermanagh has told a jury his distress at the scene was genuine.

The defence is making final submissions in the case of Stephen McKinney, 44, of Castletown Square, Fintona, County Tyrone.

He denies murdering his wife Lu Na McKinney in April 2017 during a family trip.

The body of Mrs McKinney, 35, was found in a County Fermanagh lough.

A defence lawyer said on Friday that one witness at the scene had described Mr McKinney as "erratic and emotional throughout, unable to follow basic instructions at times" and that he "appeared numb and preoccupied with concern for his wife and children".

The defence lawyer said: "The prosecution case is this was all fake, all put on.

"Everyone, all those first attenders, police, and RNLI, have all been conned by the defendant acting."

He asked the jury: "What are the chances of that?

"Is it not at least possible what these witnesses saw was the genuine reaction of a man who had just suffered a most horrifying trauma?

"We say the content of the 999 calls, together with the observations made by experienced emergency personnel in the immediate aftermath, is the window through which you can assess what happened in this case."

On Thursday, the prosecution had told the jury Mr McKinney was "determined to end his marriage on his terms, with the finality death offers".

Mrs McKinney died after going into the water off Devenish Island in Lower Lough Erne, where the couple and their two children were on a two-day boat trip.

Mr McKinney told police he had gone into the water after her, grabbing her at first, but that she slipped from his grip and went underwater.

The death was initially treated as an accident, but suspicions were later raised and a murder inquiry launched.

The trip was described by Mr McKinney as both a treat for the couple's two children and a celebration of the couple's wedding anniversary the following month.

However, during the 12-week trial. the court has heard that the marriage was in trouble and Mrs McKinney had consulted a solicitor about a divorce.

The defence will resume their closing remarks on Monday.