London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Two men in court charged with Lyra McKee murder

Two men in court charged with Lyra McKee murder

Gearoid Cavanagh and Jordan Devine appear by video link at Derry magistrates court in Northern Ireland
Two men have appeared in court in Northern Ireland charged with the murder of the writer Lyra McKee.

Gearoid Cavanagh, 33, and Jordan Devine, 21, both from Derry, appeared via video link at Derry magistrates court on Friday

They were charged with McKee’s murder as well as possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, riot, possession of petrol bombs, throwing petrol bombs and arson. Cavanagh was also charged with robbery.

McKee, 29, one of Northern Ireland’s most promising young journalists, was shot as she observed rioting in the Creggan area of Derry on 18 April 2019. The New IRA, a dissident republican group, admitted responsibility and said its gunman had been aiming at police.

A prosecuting lawyer told the court the police alleged Cavanagh and Devine were the men with the gunman who fired the fatal shot.

“At 11pm the gunman walks out with the gun exposed, and the prosecution case is the gunman was being escorted by Gearoid Cavanagh, who carries out a stewarding role as the gunman takes up position.”

Devine assisted, the prosecutor alleged. “He encourages the gunman when the shots are fired by punching the air. He cheers, he throws a missile, he again raises his arm, and afterwards he assists in tidying up, appearing to lift items from the ground.”

Defence lawyers said the prosecution case was feeble. “The reason that there has been such vast hesitancy over the past two-and-a-half years is no doubt because of the fact that the evidence is so poor,” said Devine’s lawyer. “We say that, given the jurisprudence in relation to identification and description, this is not a case at all.”

The judge Barney McElholm granted the defendants bail and ordered them to return to court on 7 October.

Police arrested Cavanagh and Devine, along with two other men, on Wednesday under the Terrorism Act. Det Supt Jason Murphy said the arrests were the culmination of a detailed two-year investigation into McKee’s murder and the events that preceded it.

One man, Paul McIntyre, 53, has already been charged with McKee’s murder. He denies the charge. Another man has been charged with rioting and other offences related to the night of the shooting.

The killing shocked Northern Ireland and there were calls at McKee’s funeral for nationalist and unionist political parties to stop squabbling and build on the spirit of the 1998 Good Friday agreement.

On the second anniversary of the death in April 2021, the National Union of Journalists launched a campaign urging witnesses to come forward with fresh information. Billboard ads appeared around Derry and thousands of letters from McKee’s family appealing for information were delivered to homes around the city.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×