William McGinley
OVER a year after a man was shot dead outside a wedding in Newtownbutler, a date has yet to be decided for the trial of two men accused of his murder.
Patrick McGinley, 47, of Lisfarrell, Edgesworthstown, Co Longford and his son William, 27, of the same address are charged with murdering Patrick’s uncle, 63-year-old Bernard McGinley, who was attending a wedding Newtownbutler on February 11, 2015. Delays in the investigation into the case mean a court has yet to decide if there is enough evidence against the pair for them to be sent forward for trial.
Previously, the large number of witnesses to be interviewed, vehicles to be examined and CCTV to be viewed had resulted in delays progressing in the case, however earlier this month Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard the only current obstacle in moving it forward was due to a delay receiving evidence seized by authorities in the South.
On Monday past, a detective inspector in the case told the court was the PSNI were still awaiting test results on cartridges found by An Garda Siochana, which are due with police by the end of March. This was referred to “as the last piece of the jigsaw” by District Judge Nigel Broderick.
However, defence barrister Seamus Leonard said it was the actual cartridges themselves the authorities were awaiting, not the test results, so the cartridge could be tested against the suspected murder weapon found in Newtownbutler.
“I’m lost on where we are with this,” admitted the solicitor, who pointed out a decision to prosecute could not be taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) until the cartridge was tested against the weapon.
Mr Leonard said the delays in the case was causing his clients increased stress and anxiety, stating we were “now 12 months down the road” and it would likely be another six months until it was heard before court.
Judge Broderick said he would “as always” keep the case under close review and adjourned it until April 4 for a further update and to determine whether it is the forensic test results or the cartridges found in the South that the Gardai were to deliver to police.
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