Marion did not shoot herself accidentally

Ms Millican’s former lover Fred McClenaghan (49) of Broad Street in Magherafelt denies murdering the mother-of-four on March 11, 2011 in the launderette where she worked in Portstewart.

On day eight of the trial, Anne Polland, a senior science officer specialising in firearms, gave evidence to the court.

Ms Polland gave details of the examinations and tests that had been carried out on the shotgun, which she told the court was over 100 years old.

She told the jury of ten men and two women that there was no suggestion that Marion was holding the weapon when it was fired.

She said that these findings had been reached by the fact that no debris from the gun was found on Ms Millican’s clothing or her arms when examined.

Full coverage of trial in Tuesday’s Coleraine Times.