One of the men charged with the brutal New IRA murder of journalist Lyra McKee has appeared in court charged with having articles in support of a proscribed organisation.
Jordan Devine, of Bishop Street in Derry was charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 with one count of showing support for a proscribed organisation by the painting of a Christmas mural at Junior McDaid House, the Saoradh headquarters in Derry between November 24 and December 21 this year.
The court was also told that Devine had also breached his bail on the murder charge by turning up ten minutes late to sign his bail.
A police officer connected the accused to the charge but did not oppose bail.
She told the court that at 2.00pm on November 24 a mural was being painted at Junior McDaid House in Chamberlain Street that depicted a Santa detonating a command wire and a caption stating ‘they haven’t gone away you know’, a reference to a slogan used by the Provisional IRA.
The officer said that it is believed that the mural refers to the recent attack on a PSNI patrol in Strabane when the New IRA detontated a device last month in the Mount Carmel Heights area.
The officer said that the defendant was ‘responsible’ for painting the mural.
Devine’s defence solicitor said it was “a very minor charge which carries a six month sentence”.
The defendant was released on court bail and will appear back in court on Monday, January 16.