Malcom McKeown shot six times at close range, court hears

The court heard Mr McKeown was last seen alive at 19:19 BST on 19 August, when he walked out of Dewart’s garage and got into his BMW, which was parked at the rear of the petrol station.

Less than a minute later, a navy Volkswagen Passat was seen speeding away from the scene.

It was later found burned out in Lurgan.

A sales assistant in the garage heard several loud bangs and assumed it was either fireworks or bangers, and when police arrived at the scene shortly after 21:00, Mr McKeown was found slumped over the driver’s seat of the BMW.

A post mortem examination found death was caused by bullet wounds to the head and body and that Mr McKeown has been “struck by at least six bullets”.

After the murder, items recovered from the burned-out Passat were forensically examined along with cartridges found beside Mr McKeown’s car.

The court heard Mr O’Brien’s DNA was found on a black disposal glove and a boiler suit found near the Passat, and he was also identified as one of two men running into a cul-de-sac close to where the Passat was dumped and set on fire.

Mr Martin was identified as the second man in the footage.