A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years in prison having pleaded guilty to the possession of a firearm and ammunition which was used in the killing of journalist Lyra McKee in April 2019.
Niall Sheerin appeared before Laganside Court today, Wednesday 14 September.
He was also given an extended sentence after a finding of dangerousness for a period of five years.
The firearm had a significant history of being used in a series of shootings across Derry/Londonderry and was the weapon used to murder . Sheerin will also be subject to terrorist notification requirements under the Terrorism Act for the next 15 years.
Detectives have also issued a renewed appeal for information and announced details of a reward from the charity Crimestoppers.
Commenting on the sentence, Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan said:
“ McKee, at just 29 years old, died after being shot in Creggan, in Derry/Londonderry, on 18 April 2019. It’s over three years now since that tragic day, and the pain felt by ’s loved ones is understandably as raw as ever.
“I want to thank members of the public for their support, and I’m keen to reassure the community that we remain committed to working with them and our partner agencies to stop the corrosive influence of terrorists.
"Our investigation into ’s murder, as demonstrated by today’s sentencing, is very much active. And, with continued support, we will work tirelessly to bring those responsible before the courts."
Crimestoppers is now offering an increased reward of up to £20,000 for information it receives that leads to the prosecution of those responsible for the death of Lyra.
Anyone with such information can contact Crimestoppers directly on Freephone 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
"There is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and computer IP addresses are never traced," Superintendent Corrigan finished.
