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 her murder.

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

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

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

Last week, the court heard an MTV crew filming the riot were told the disorder had been “set up” for the camera.

TV presenter Reggie Yates and the crew were filming a documentary on the night Ms McKee was struck in the head by a bullet as she stood close to police vehicles.

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”.

“The reaction of the masked men would have been quite different had an ‘unauthorised’ camera crew attended the rioting unannounced,” he said.

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

A police officer also told the court on Tuesday that police came under “sustained attack” from petrol bombs, fireworks and masonry that evening.

The officer, who has since retired from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), said that at around the time Lyra McKee was shot, he saw “a dark figure pointing something towards the police”.

He described the front of their own vehicle being “struck a couple of times”.

Giving evidence, another police officer told the court that he heard “pinging noises”, which he knew to be gun fire.

He said his team then received information that “people were approaching with petrol bombs”.

The officer then described his superior officers calling out “gunman” over the police radio before they then heard that “a female had been injured”.

The trial continues.