Lyra McKee: Rioters ‘at ease’ with presence of cameras

Masked men who threw petrol bombs at police the night Lyra McKee was murdered were “entirely at ease with the presence of television camera recording precisely what they were doing, ” a court has heard.

Ms McKee had been observing a riot in the Creggan estate in Londonderry in April 2019 when she was killed.

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

Three men from Derry are on trial at Belfast Crown Court accused of the 29-year-old’s murder.

Peter Cavanagh, 35, of Mary Street, Derry; Jordan Devine, 23, of Bishop Street, Derry; and Paul McIntyre, 56, of Kells Walk, Derry, are on trial charged with her murder.

Seven other men are on trial on a number of charges, including rioting and throwing petrol bombs.

They are: Joseph Barr, 36, of Sandringham Drive, Derry; Jude Coffey, 26, of Gartan Square, Derry; William Elliott, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry; Joseph Campbell, 23, of Gosheden Cottages, Derry; Patrick Gallagher, 32, of John Field Place, Derry; Christopher Gillen, 43, of Balbane Pass, Derry; and Kieran McCool, 55, of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry.

Last week, the court heard that an MTV crew filming the riot on the night Ms McKee was killed were told the disorder had been “set up” for the camera.

TV presenter Reggie Yates and the crew were in Derry filming a documentary.

On Tuesday, the prosecution lawyer told the court that the men were even “prepared to engage in an interview with Reggie Yates and provide him with a petrol bomb to inspect”.

He said: “This suggests that either the masked men knew of the intention to film in advance or that the presence of Mellon and McCrory endorsed the filming. The reaction of the masked men would have been quite different had an ‘unauthorised’ camera crew attended the rioting unannounced.”

The barrister said what followed was the “remarkable sight” of masked petrol bombers being filmed at close quarters as they attacked police.