Perverting course of justice charge dropped in Charlotte case

A CASE involving allegations of perverting the course of justice in the Charlotte Murray murder investigation has collapsed.

Charlotte Murray, who was originally from Omagh, was last seen in 2012 and later reported missing. Despite extensive searches, her body has never been found.

In October 2019, her former partner, John Patrick Miller, was unanimously convicted of her murder by a jury at Dungannon Crown Court.

His conviction was later upheld on appeal.

Then, in a subsequent development, Brian Ernest Barnard, a friend of the couple from Currans Brae, Moy, was charged with three counts of making false statements to police in July 2013, January 2018 and June 2018.

Members of Charlotte’s family, including her mother attended the hearing at Dungannon Magistrates Court, although no details surrounding the circumstances of the allegations were disclosed at that time.

Barnard was later committed for trial at the Crown Court, but his legal team challenged the admissibility of key evidence – statements he made under cross-examination during Miller’s trial.

During that testimony, Barnard admitted that his previous evidence to police had been incorrect.

However, Judge Brian Sherrard ruled that those statements could not be used in the perverting justice case, as Barnard had not been warned they could incriminate him. The judge determined that using those admissions would be unfair and prejudicial.

Following the ruling, prosecutors requested time to review the decision. When the case returned to court, they confirmed they would not challenge the judge’s ruling.

As such it was accepted without that specific evidence the case could not continue and the charges could be left on the court books.

Judge Sherrard formally terminated the proceedings, and all bail conditions previously imposed on Barnard were lifted.