Courts

Man accused in Lyra McKee murder allowed to travel to Bundoran for break

Court in Derry grants permission for two day trip to Republic but imposes curfew

A police officer told the court that the family of Lyra McKee could not understand such applications and added that an aggravating feature was that the break was booked before the application was made. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
A police officer told the court that the family of Lyra McKee could not understand such applications and added that an aggravating feature was that the break was booked before the application was made. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Eamonn MacDermott
Fri Aug 26 2022 - 12:59

One of the men charged with the murder of the journalist Lyra McKee has been allowed to travel to Bundoran in County Donegal for two days but must observe a curfew while there.

At Derry Magistrate’s Court today Jordan Devine (21) of Synge Court in Derry applied for his bail to be varied so he could go to Bundoran with his partner and child for a two day break.

Mr Devine is charged with the murder of Lyra McKee on April 18th, 2019 as well as other offences in connection with the rioting that night.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott asked for the bail to be varied so his client could have the two day break.

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He said police were not objecting to Mr Devine going to Bundoran but wanted a curfew imposed from 9pm until 7am.

Mr MacDermott said there was a question about how this was to be enforced and also that the defence believed there was no need for this requirement.

A PSNI inspector told the court that Devine faced serious charges.

She added that there was an arrangement in place with the Gardaí to enforce the curfew.

She said police wanted the curfew so they had “some sort of control”.

The officer said that they believed Mr Devine was “still involved in dissident republican activity”.

Mr MacDermott said his client had been on bail for nine months without incident.

He said it was just “a short break” and added that there was not a lot he could get up to in that period.

The police officer said that the family of Lyra McKee could not understand such applications and added that an aggravating feature was that the break was booked before the application was made.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said as a compromise he would grant the application but with a curfew from 10pm.

He also asked what happened if Mr Devine breached this and was told that the Gardaí would inform the PSNI and there would be a breach of bail.

The case will be mentioned again on September 19th.