Northern Ireland

PSNI yet to establish if video mocking Michaela McAreavey murder was a crime

Sir Daniel Bart Memorial Orange Hall in Dundonald
Sir Daniel Bart Memorial Orange Hall in Dundonald Sir Daniel Bart Memorial Orange Hall in Dundonald

POLICE say they have yet to establish if a crime was committed by a group of men filmed in a Orange hall mocking the murder of Michaela McAreavey.

The PSNI said yesterday that its investigation into the incident, which is understood to have been filmed on the day of the Saturday May 30 Orange Order march to mark the centenary of partition, was continuing.

This morning, loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, who is acting as a consultant to three of the men involved in the video, said a PSNI investgiation is underway.

In a statement released this morning, Mr Bryson's JWB Consultancy said: "We can confirm a PSNI investigation has commenced under the Communications Act. It is however unclear how the elements of such an offence would be made out."

Mr Bryson said he "will not be confirming or denying who, if anyone, has been or will be interviewed."

Mrs McAreavey, the daughter of former Tyrone manager Mickey Harte, was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius in 2011.

No one has ever been convicted of the 27-year-old teacher's killing.

Police said on Friday that they were seeking to establish whether a crime had been committed in relation to the video, following a number of complaints from the public.

It has now been confirmed that the video was filmed at the Sir Daniel Dixon Bart Memorial Orange Hall in Dundonald, which is situated just yards from the local PSNI station.

Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that two Co Armagh men who issued public apologies over their involvement in the video have sought police protection after receiving death threats and online abuse.

John Bell and Andrew McDade have made formal reports to the PSNI after they received multiple threats following the release of the video on Friday, according to by the Sunday Times.

McDade had filmed the group while Bell was among the group who laughed and cheered. No one else has apologised, even though their alleged identities were widely shared on social media over the weekend.

The video provoked outrage on both sides of the border, and was condemned by the taoiseach, nationalist and unionist political parties, and by the Orange Order, who described it as “utterly abhorrent”.