Lyra McKee: Riot accused can attend Halloween festival

A man accused of rioting on the night journalist Lyra McKee was killed has had his bail varied to allow him to attend a Halloween fireworks display.

Joseph Patrick Barr, 35, from Sandringham Drive, Londonderry, is charged with offences relating to rioting on 18 April 2019.

Ms McKee was shot dead while observing rioting in Derry's Creggan estate.

On Tuesday, a judge at Belfast Crown Court said Mr Barr could attend the Halloween celebrations in Derry.

"I'm content to release the defendant from his present bail conditions for the period stipulated in this variation which will be for one day only," Judge Richard Greene said.

When initially granted bail in July last year, Mr Barr was ordered to observe a 21:00 curfew and not enter the cityside of Derry.

His barrister asked if his client's curfew be extended to 22:00 and if he could be allowed to enter the exclusion zone temporarily.

Lyra McKee was observing rioting in Derry when she was shot dead

The barrister told the court Mr Barr has spent 16 months on bail "without coming to any adverse police attention".

The lawyer said that in December 2021, the defendant had "disavowed dissident republican violence" and as a consequence was "ejected from the wing on which he was residing in Maghaberry very promptly".

A Crown barrister said police had concerns that they would be unable to monitor Mr Barr's movements during the event and also that he may re-offend or encounter "known associates" while in the cityside.

Mr Barr's barrister said those objections were no longer relevant and "not realistic". He said the fireworks could also be viewed from the Waterside, where Mr Barr lives.

The judge allowed bail conditions to be varied on a temporary basis.