Three men accused of murdering journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland more than seven years ago have been found not guilty.

The 29-year-old author died after being shot as she stood close to police vehicles, watching disturbances in the Creggan area of Londonderry in April 2019.

The New IRA – a dissident republican paramilitary group – said it carried out the killing.

Peter Cavanagh, 38, of Mary Street in Derry, Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, of Bishop Street and Paul McIntyre, 58, of Kells Walk faced a joint enterprise murder charge.

None of those charged with murder was accused of firing the fatal shot which killed Lyra.

The prosecution’s case was that they accompanied a lone gunman to a firing point on the night Lyra was killed, and encouraged or assisted him.

But the defence said much of the prosecution case was based on “pure speculation”.

When the not guilty verdicts were read out, there was little or no reaction from the three defendants.

The prosecution case was based, in part, on footage from MTV which was recorded in Derry on the day of the murder.

However, the MTV camera crew had left the scene before the shooting took place.

During the trial, footage was shown, including conversations between MTV presenter Reggie Yates and a number of the defendants.

The prosecution suggested that the disorder which broke out had been deliberately orchestrated by dissident republicans to coincide with the presence of MTV.

In the public gallery, friends and relatives of the accused sat on one side, while friends and relatives of Lyra sat on the other.

Sara Canning, who was Lyra’s partner, was seated on the front row as the judge delivered her verdicts, but left before the end of the hearing.

The non-jury trial opened in May 2024 and ended this April. It was one of the longest in recent times in Northern Ireland.

The three men accused of murder denied all of the charges against them. They chose not to give evidence during the trial.

The judge, Mrs Justice Smyth, reserved her judgement to give “proper consideration” to all the points that had been made in the case.

Speaking outside court, Lyra’s sister Nichola Corner said the verdict was a “complete and utter shock”.

She said the “system has completely failed Lyra, our family and Northern Ireland”.

“Over 150 people have witnessed what happened – not one came forward,” said Nicola. “The culture of silence needs to stop.

“This is not over, Lyra said if you’re going to go down – go down fighting.”

The Public Prosecution Service said it was “satisfied that our legal test for prosecution was met and that it was in the public interest to bring the case”.

“The case successfully overcame a number of robust legal challenges during the proceedings.

“We recognise that today’s acquittals will be deeply disappointing to Lyra’s family and loved ones.”

At the end of the hearing, the judge Mrs Justice Smyth, said the outcome of the trial would bring “little, if any, comfort or relief” to the family and friends of Lyra.

The judge pointed out that the gunman who killed her has never been brought to court.

She added: “Lyra McKee was murdered in an act of senseless violence.”

In total, nine men were on trial. Between them they faced 52 charges, including rioting, which were all denied.

It took the judge more than four hours to read out the verdicts and the reasons behind her conclusions.

While three men were accused of murder, six others from Derry faced other charges including rioting.

Joseph Barr, 38, of Sandringham Drive, was found not guilty of all of the charges he faced.

Jude McCrory, 28, of Gartan Square, was also found not guilty, as was Patrick Anthony Gallagher, 34, of John Field Place.

Kieran George McCool, 57, of Ballymagowan Gardens, was found guilty of common assault.

Joseph Anthony Campbell, 25, of Goshaden Cottages, was found not guilty of the charges he faced.

Christopher Joseph Gillen, 45, of Balbane Pass, was found guilty of possessing and throwing petrol bombs, and riot.

None of the men gave evidence in their defence. All of them denied the charges which they faced.

Another defendant, William Patrick Elliott, 58, formerly of Ballymagowan Gardens, Derry, died last year.

Séamus Dooley, of the National Union of Journalists, said it “remains a matter of grave concern that no-one was charged with the shooting of Lyra McKee; the person who pulled the trigger got off scot-free”.

“In this case, someone has gotten away with the murder of a journalist – just as happened in the case of Martin O’Hagan.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Lyra’s family, partner, and friends at this incredibly difficult and distressing time,” he added.