Ultimatum to prison service over Lyra trial

Paul McIntyre, 52, of Kinnego Park, Londonderry, is charged with the murder of Lyra McKee, possessing a firearm with intent and belonging to a proscribed organisation.

He is further charged, along with 39-year-old Christopher Gillen, of Balbane Pass in the city, with throwing and possessing petrol bombs, hijacking, arson and rioting on April 18 last year.

Londonderry Magistrates’ Court has previously heard that McIntyre has requested access to the video facilities in Roe House to allow him to attend court remotely.

Guidance was issued by a High Court judge and provided to the prison service a number of weeks ago.

However, defence counsel Mark Muholland QC said they had still not received any response from the prison service.

He said that he did not want it be an issue at the “last minute” and asked for a representative to attend if it is not resolved by next month.

A mixed committal hearing had been due to commence on June 15, but was adjourned because the case was not in a position to proceed.

The hearing, which is expected to last five days, has been provisionally listed for September 1.

Four of the five witnesses are due to give evidence remotely and one is required to attend court in person.

District Judge Ted Magill said he would provisionally hold this date “on the proviso that it has to be workable”.

He said the system to conduct court remotely “continually breaks down and if everything isn’t absolutely perfect it just doesn’t work”.

The judge adjourned the case until July 23 and said he would require a representative from the prison service to attend on that date if the video facilities had “not been sorted out”.