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Man charged with the murder of Denis Donaldson

Gabija GataveckaiteBBC News NI Dublin correspondent
Pacemaker A close up image of Denis Donaldson. He has thinning, short grey hair and has a neutral expression on his face as he takes a question at a press conference. He has a pair of silver glasses on. He is wearing a tan suit jacket and a blue collared shirt.Pacemaker
Denis Donaldson, pictured in 2005

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Denis Donaldson 20 years ago.

Antoin Duffy, with an address at Braade, Kincasslagh, County Donegal, was extradited from Scotland and arrested at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnell in Dublin.

He appeared before a sitting of the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday in person where he was charged with six offences.

These include the murder of Donaldson, between 3 April 2006 and 4 April 2006, at Cloghercor, Doochary, County Donegal.

Getty Images An aerial image of a white washed house in a remote location. S shed is behind the house and trees are around it. A police officer is standing nearby.Getty Images
Denis Donaldson was shot dead at a cottage in Glenties, County Donegal

Donaldson was once a key figure in Sinn Féin but he was found murdered in a remote cottage after it emerged he had worked for the police and MI5 inside Sinn Féin for 20 years.

In the court on Monday, Duffy, 49, was also charged with attempting to murder Liam Copeland McGinley on 19 November 2007.

He was further charged with four counts of gun and ammunition offences.

The charges included two counts of carrying a shotgun with the intention to endanger life and two counts of carrying ammunition with the intent to endanger life on dates between 3 April 2006 and 4 April 2006 and 19 November 2007.

He appeared before judges James Faughnan, Patrick McGrath and Sarah Berkeley.

Duffy has been remanded in custody until 13 April.