Accused linked to one-punch death case is cleared

A MAN has walked free from court after a jury unanimously found him not guilty of seven charges linked to the ‘one-punch’ death of a Traveller outside a Toomebridge bar.

Michael McCoy (22) wept in the dock of Londonderry Crown Court yesterday after jurors found him not guilty of intending to pervert the course of justice and of firearms and am- munition offences after just 13 minutes of deliberations.

The prosecution of Mr McCoy, a warehouse supervisor from Loughbeg Road, Toome, related to the death of James McDonagh (28), a member of the Travelling community from Toomebridge, on January 11, 2016.

Mr McDonagh died in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast the day after Mr McCoy’s brother, Finbar McCoy Jnr, punched him once in the car park outside the Elk Bar.

McCoy Jnr was jailed for one year earlier this month when he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr McDonagh.

He punched him once after he had “paid unwarranted attention to female members of the McCoy family” and struck their father, Finbar McCoy Snr.

Mr McDonagh, who fell to the ground and became unresponsive, died the next day.

The defendant Michael McCoy, who was not in the Elk Bar during the incident, woke up the fol- Victim: James McDonagh lowing morning unaware of what had happened.

Mr McCoy denied under cross-examination that he had deliberately removed two shotguns and boxes of ammunition from his family home because he knew the arrival of the police was imminent. He said his mother had asked him to bring the items to his uncle’s house just under one mile away.

The jury found Mr McCoy unanimously not guilty of all charges.