Millican trial opens in Belfast

A jury of eight women and four men were selected to try a 52-year-old Magherafelt man accused of the murdering 51-year-old mum of four Marion Millican as she sat eating her lunch in the Portstewart laundarette where she worked over three years ago.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Sep 2014, 06:00 BST
Pacemaker Press 21/9/2012 Marion Millican was was murdered in the Portstewart launderette where she worked in March 2011 Pic PacemakerPacemaker Press 21/9/2012 Marion Millican was was murdered in the Portstewart launderette where she worked in March 2011 Pic Pacemaker
Pacemaker Press 21/9/2012 Marion Millican was was murdered in the Portstewart launderette where she worked in March 2011 Pic Pacemaker

Prosecution lawyer Neil Connor told Belfast Crown Court that the “pure and simple” case against Fred McClenaghan, from Broad Street, Magherafelt was that he murdered Ms Millican. She was shot dead with a shotgun on March 11, 2011.

No details surrounding the case were given to the jury, save that the trial itself will take four to five weeks, during which they were also told, they would hear from up to 20 main prosecution witnesses, including her daughter, husband and co-workers.

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Defence QC John McCrudden also said that the jury may hear evidence from five witnesses on behalf of the defence.

Pacemaker Belfast 29/01/2014 Fred McClenaghan, jailed for shooting dead his ex-lover in a County Londonderry laundrette had his murder conviction quashed. Fred McClenaghan will now face a retrial over the killing of Marion Millican in Portstewart. No further details of the decision reached by the Court of Appeal can be reported for legal reasons. Mrs Millican, 51, was shot in the chest at her workplace in March 2011. She died at the scene. Photo Pacemaker PressPacemaker Belfast 29/01/2014 Fred McClenaghan, jailed for shooting dead his ex-lover in a County Londonderry laundrette had his murder conviction quashed. Fred McClenaghan will now face a retrial over the killing of Marion Millican in Portstewart. No further details of the decision reached by the Court of Appeal can be reported for legal reasons. Mrs Millican, 51, was shot in the chest at her workplace in March 2011. She died at the scene. Photo Pacemaker Press
Pacemaker Belfast 29/01/2014 Fred McClenaghan, jailed for shooting dead his ex-lover in a County Londonderry laundrette had his murder conviction quashed. Fred McClenaghan will now face a retrial over the killing of Marion Millican in Portstewart. No further details of the decision reached by the Court of Appeal can be reported for legal reasons. Mrs Millican, 51, was shot in the chest at her workplace in March 2011. She died at the scene. Photo Pacemaker Press

The trial proper will start on Tuesday following an opening prosecution statement outlining the case they hope to prove against McClenaghan.

Before sending the jury away for the day, trial judge Mr Justice Treacy warned them about discussing the case with anyone outside their own number, or of “engaging in private research” on the internet as it might “imperil the trial”.

The judge said it was a normal direction given to juries in all criminal cases and designed to ensure that jurors only decide cases on the evidence and arguement they hear in court and nothing else. Mr Justice Treacy told the jury that they would hear all of the evidence necessary, along with the relevant law, to allow them to come to a verdict.