McCartney Accused Innocent

The man accused of killing Belfast man Robert McCartney in a city centre pub has been acquitted.

The trial ended at Belfast Crown Court earlier this month with a verdict announced today.

The man acquitted, Terence Davison, 51, of Belfast, had denied murder.

He was also cleared of two further counts of affray by Mr Justice John Gillen in the no-jury trial.

Mr Davison's co-accused James McCormick, 39, and Joseph Fitzpatrick, 47, were also found not guilty of affray. Mr Fitzpatrick was acquitted on a further charge of assault.

Mr McCartney, 33, was beaten and stabbed outside Magennis's Bar beside the nationalist Markets area on 30 January 2005.

The judge said that he understood the family of Mr McCartney "will be frustrated and disappointed that whoever it was who cut this young man down in the prime of his life has or have not been brought to justice".

"However, the memory of Mr McCartney and the rule of law itself would be ill-served by this court failing to observe the high standards of criminal justice and the burden of proof which prevail in courts in Northern Ireland," he said.

But, the judge warned the three acquitted men that they could yet be brought back to court if more evidence emerges.

Speaking on the final day of the trial, Mr McCartney's sister Paula Arnold had said listening to the evidence had been "horrendous."

Like the rest of her family - who have campaigned across the world for justice for their brother - she said: "It has been very very difficult for us, especially listening to the brutality that Robert suffered."

Mr McCartney's five sisters travelled to Washington and Brussels in their campaign to bring the killers to justice.

They have spoken of their devastation since the killing, with broken relationships and house moves disrupting their lives.

They also accused the IRA of intimidation during their campaign.

(BMcC)