Custody over wedding death

A man has been remanded in custody over the weekend accused of murdering his great-uncle outside a family wedding.

William McGinley, 26, is charged with killing Bernard McGinley close to a church in rural Co Fermanagh last month, moments before the wedding was due to start.

The accused’s father, Patrick McGinley, 46, has already appeared in court charged with the murder of the 63-year-old from Longford.

Mr McGinley, a cousin of the bride, who was just about to walk down the aisle when the shooting took place, is also charged with the attempted murder of the dead man’s son, Bernard McGinley Jr, who was injured in the same incident outside St Mary’s Catholic Church in the village of Newtownbutler.

He appeared at Omagh Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.

A police officer told District Judge Barney McElholm he could connect the accused to the crimes.

Mr McGinley’s lawyer, Seamus Leonard, said his client denied involvement.

“This man has consistently denied any criminality,” said Mr Leonard, stressing that he had provided police with a “full account” of what happened.

Mr Leonard said it was not alleged that William McGinley fired the shot that killed Bernard McGinley. “But it is alleged he fired the shot which attempted to murder Bernard McGinley Jr,” he added.

He said that, while he did not consider the evidence against his client strong enough to justify remanding him in custody, he said he would not be making a bail application.

Mr McGinley was remanded in custody to appear in court in Enniskillen, via video-link, alongside his father on March 16.

The wedding ceremony was delayed for a short period after the shooting.