Niall Sheerin, 29, from Derry, admitted having the gun between September 2018 and June 2020. Mr Justice Fowler at Belfast Crown Court imposed an extended custodial sentence of seven years on Wednesday with a further five years on licence. He called Sheerin an associate of a “serious terrorist gang who posed a danger to the public”. The New IRA, a dissident republican group, admitted shooting McKee during riots in the Creggan area of Derry in April 2019. The 29-year-old freelancer was observing the unrest from behind a police Land Rover. The weapon, a Hammerli X-Esse .22 pistol, was found wrapped in plastic bags and buried in a field in Derry in 2020. Ballistics tests linked it to McKee’s shooting and four other shootings in the city in the previous 21 months. Fowler said the prosecution had not proven Sheerin knew the specific history of the gun and did not convict him in connection with McKee’s murder. Speaking outside court, the journalist’s sister, Nichola McKee-Corner, urged the man who pulled the trigger to come forward and take responsibility. “Now the story of the gun has come to an end, but the story of the gunman continues,” he said. He appealed to anyone with information about the gunman to come forward. He said: “Justice is not something that stands alone with the police, justice is a whole community affair.” The reward for information about the murder has been doubled to £20,000. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Det Supt Eamonn Corrigan told reporters the investigation remains active. “It has been over three years since that tragic day and the pain felt by Lyra’s loved ones is understandably as raw as ever. “I am keen to reassure the community that we remain committed to working with them and our partner agencies to stop the corrosive influence of terrorists.”
