Northern Ireland police reservist's killer trapped by DNA on cigarette butt, court told

DNA left on a cigarette butt led to a man being charged with the murder of a police officer who was shot dead while visiting his wife and newborn baby, a court heard today. John Proctor, a reserve policeman, was murdered after a visit to Magherafelt hospital in September 1981, Derry magistrates court was told. Seamus Martin Kearney, 54, of Swatragh, County Derry, denies murder. Proctor had just visited his wife and new son in the Mid-Ulster hospital in Magherafelt, when he was shot dead in the car park. The court heard tests were carried out on a cigarette butt found among 13 bullet shells at the scene of the murder. A detective told the court that Kearney's DNA sample matched one on the cigarette found at the murder scene. Kearney is also accused of possessing a firearm, an Armalite AR 15, with intent to endanger life. His defence said the cigarette butt at the centre of the prosecution case was found two days after the murder in a heavily populated public area. No forensic tent had been erected at the scene. Kearney's lawyer said the case against his client was weak and there was no likelihood he would interfere with witnesses or fail to turn up for his trial. The district judge described the murder as cruel and tragic and carried out in a heartless fashion. He granted Kearney bail on condition he report to police three times a week and surrender his passport.