Eddie Meenan's friend who was with him when he was murdered given conditional discharge on intimidation charge

William McConnell (55), of Glendale Gardens in Derry, admitted one charge of the attempted intimidation of the woman at whose house Mr. Meenan's murder took place on November 25, 2018.

Mr. Meenan suffered 52 stab wounds and two broken legs in the early morning attack.

Two men were subsequently convicted of murder and a third man was found not guilty of the murder but guilty of assaulting McConnell.

Derry Crown Court, sitting in Coleraine, was told that, on the night in question, McConnell had been drinking with the the late Mr. Meenan and several others.

Both the accused and the murder victim left the house and McConnell returned some twenty minutes later with head injuries.

His girlfriend arranged for him to get treatment and he contacted police in relation to the murder of Mr. Meenan which had taken place a short distance away.

A police officer gave evidence to the local Crown Court that the defendant had been an important witness in the case against the three men who were charged in connection with the murder of Mr. Meenan.

She said that, by doing so, he had left himself open to the intimidation charge as it appeared himself and Mr. Meenan had gone to the woman's house in relation to anti-social activities that were said to have been occurring.

Judge Neil Rafferty said he did not need a pre-sentence report in this case as McConnell had co-operated with police and gave evidence despite being in danger of a criminal charge.

The judge said that, since the night of the murder, the defendant had 'cleaned himself up' and had not come to the attention of the police.

He imposed a conditional discharge for a period of two years.