Lu Na McKinney: Overwhelming evidence in boat trip murder trial

Jurors found a man guilty of murdering his wife after "an overwhelmingly strong prosecution case", a court has heard.

Stephen McKinney was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for murdering Lu Na McKinney.

She drowned during a boating holiday in County Fermanagh in April 2017.

McKinney, who is originally from Strabane, is seeking to overturn his conviction and also challenge the sentence.

A prosecution lawyer told the Court of Appeal there was no unfairness to the defendant during his trial.

The body of Mrs McKinney, 35, was recovered from Lough Erne near a jetty at Devenish Island, where the couple were moored on a cruise with their two young children.

McKinney, 46, claimed his wife fell into the water while on deck to check mooring ropes and that he tried to save her.

But in 2021 a jury at Dungannon Crown Court found him guilty of his wife's murder after accepting the prosecution case that it was not a boating accident.

McKinney's lawyers have advanced a number of grounds in his attempt to have the verdict declared unsafe.

Prosecution lawyer Richard Weir KC said the sudden death of one of the two defence barristers before the end of the trial was tragic.

However he argued that every effort was made by the judge to ensure the trial continued to be fair.

He said issues regarding the admissibility of evidence were also ruled on by the trial judge and that evidence was not changed or exaggerated.

The jury were attentive throughout the trial and the judge was "above criticism" in her "fair, comprehensive and effective" charge to them.

"Given the overwhelming nature of the Crown case, nothing should cause this court unease or disquiet in any way," Mr Weir added.

The three appeal court judges will listen to the recording of the 999 calls McKinney made on the night his wife drowned.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said judgement in the appeal would be reserved and a ruling will be given as soon as possible.