Woman facing false alibi charge in murder probe

An unemployed single mother from Lurgan is to stand trial in connection with the murder of prison officer David Black.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Jan 2015, 19:00 BST
David BlackDavid Black
David Black

Fiona McFadden whose address was given to the court as Killough Gardens, Lurgan, appeared at Belfast Crown Court on Friday for a brief 
arraignment hearing.

The 29-year-old pleaded not guilty to a single charge that she supplied a false alibi to a murder 
suspect on the day after Mr Black was killed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The charge alleges that she informed police investigating Mr Black’s murder that Sean McVeigh had been in her company between 4pm and 9.30pm on October 31, 
2012.

The trial is expected to last a number of weeks.

McFadden was released on continuing bail to await the fixing of a date for her trial later this year.

Mr Black, from Cookstown in County Tyrone, was shot dead on the M1 in close to Lurgan as he went to work at Maghaberry prison in November 
2012.

The 52-year-old father of two was the first prison officer in Northern Ireland to be murdered in almost 20 
years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sean McVeigh, 33, of Victoria Road, Lurgan was charged at Craigavon Magistrates Court in February 2014 with the murder of Mr 
Black.

He was further charged with possessing an assault rifle with the intent to endanger life.

However, in July last 
year the charges were dropped.

A solicitor for McVeigh told the court that he planned to instigate legal proceedings against the PSNI and the 
Public Prosecution Service over the time his client had spent on remand.