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The man accused of murdering journalist Lyra McKee has been granted bail.<\/p>\nThe man accused of murdering journalist Lyra McKee has been granted bail.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old was shot dead by dissident republicans while observing a riot in Derry in April last year.<\/p>\n
An extremist group styling itself as the New IRA said it carried out the killing.<\/p>\n
Paul McIntyre, 52, appeared before a district judge in Derry via video link from prison on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Judge Barney McElholm said: \u201cSociety is demanding justice for Lyra McKee. But justice is no good if one-sided, biased or not seen to be unscrupulously honest.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that as early as the 1970s, he had decided to do his bit to support the rule of law.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will grant Mr McIntyre bail,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Police believe the man accused of murdering the journalist was the same height as someone seen picking up casings from bullets used to kill her, a detective told the court.<\/p>\n
But McIntyre\u2019s defense cast doubt on the credibility of an expert witness and the matching of photos of him with images from the night.<\/p>\n
The solicitor said the issues were \u201cinsurmountable\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ms McKee was standing near a police vehicle when she was hit by a bullet fired by a masked gunman towards officers in April last year.<\/p>\n
An officer told Mr McElholm a mapping expert had visited the scene to confirm that a person photographed there was the same height as McIntyre.<\/p>\n
McIntyre is also charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and belonging to or professing to be a member of a proscribed organisation.<\/p>\n
His address was given in court as Kinnego Park in Derry.<\/p>\n
Dressed in a red jumper, he sat throughout the hearing.<\/p>\n