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Lyra McKee riot accused dies, court told

PA Media Lyra Mckee is smiling and wearing glasses in a grey coatPA Media
Journalist Lyra McKee was 29 when she died after being struck by a bullet during rioting in the Creggan area of Derry

A man who was on trial for rioting and throwing petrol bombs on the night journalist Lyra McKee was killed in Londonderry has died, a court has heard.

William Patrick Elliott, 58, formerly of Ballymagowan Gardens, was residing in England and had been previously attending his trial via video-link.

Mr Elliott had denied charges of riotous assembly with others and throwing petrol bombs "with intent to cause the destruction of or damage to property of another or cause personal injury to another'' on 18 April 2019.

An official death certificate was produced at Belfast Crown Court on Friday and the judge ordered that an indictment be endorsed and declared "of no legal effect and the file be closed".