Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THREE MEN FACE COURT ON MCCAULEY KILLING
Victim spent 9yrs in a coma after 2006 attack
THREE men appeared in court yesterday facing charges linked to the killing of civil servant Paul Mccauley. The father of one died from brain injuries on June 6, 2015, having spent nine years in a coma after he and two friends were assaulted at a barbecue. They were allegedly attacked by a group of people at Chapel Road in the Waterside area of Derry on July 16, 2006. The trio attended a preliminary enquiry hearing at the city’s Magistrates’ Court. Two of the three defendants have been jointly charged with murdering Mr Mccauley. They are 26-year-old Piper John Mcclements, from the Fountain Estate in Derry, and Matthew Brian Gillen, 30, of Bond Street in the city’s Waterside. They are charged with the murder of Mr Mccauley on June 6, 2016, the day the victim died while in care. Gillen is further charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and causing attempted grievous bodily harm with intent to the two other men injured on July 16, 2006. The third defendant, 62-yearold Charles Buckingham, from Nash Court Gardens in Margate, Kent, is charged with withholding information about Mr Mccauley’s killing. He is alleged to have committed the offence on December 16, 2015. All three defendants told District Judge Barney Mcelholm they understood the charges against them. They said they did not wish to call any witnesses at this time and all three replied “no” when asked if they had anything to say in relation to the charges. Solicitors for the three accused accepted the defendants had a prima facie case to answer. All were released on continuing bail until they are arraigned on the charges at the Crown Court in Derry on August 29.