126 - Sex, Lies and Videotape: the murder of Gerry McGinley

In August of 2000, Gerry McGinley disappeared from his home near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. His wife Julie said he had packed up a plastic bag and had taken off. The police investigation came up with numerous leads. Had Gerry fallen foul of the Real IRA? Or maybe he'd crossed drug dealers? Was his former lover - or indeed her husband - enraged enough to make him run, or worse? It also seemed likely Gerry had been blackmailing local men with videos they'd rather not exist... Or perhaps the answer was much closer to home, and to be found in the newly re-decorated master bedroom of the McGinley's bungalow... This episode was researched and written by Aileen Spearin. ******** Find us on Facebook or Twitter! With thanks to our supporters on Patreon! Donate today to get access to bonus and ad-free episodes! Check out the Mens Rea Merch Store! ********* Theme Music: Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Additional Music: Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ********* Sources: Michael Breslin, ‘Renewed search for missing man’, Fermanagh Herald, Sept 13th 2000 Martin Breen, ‘Reveal; our son’s secret grave’, Belfast Telegraph, Feb 26th 2001 Martin Breen, ‘Wife of missing man is arrested’, Belfast Telegraph, Mar 21st 2001 Martin Breen, ‘Missing man: trio quizzed’, Belfast Telegraph, Mar 23rd 2001 Martin Breen and Ciaran O Neill, ‘Lakes searched in hunt for body’ Belfast Telegraph, Mar 24th 2001 Martin Breen, ‘Wife and second man are quizzed by detectives’, Belfast Telegraph, Mar 24th 2001 ‘Three charged with murder’, Fermanagh Herald, Mar 28th 2001 ‘Three charged with murder’, Ulster Herald, Mar 29th 2001 ‘Murder accused trio are remanded in custody’, Belfast Telegraph, Apr 2nd 2001 Jerry McLaughlin, ‘Woman on charges of murdering husband’, Irish Examiner, Apr 3rd 2001 ‘Three accused of murdering Manorhamilton native’ Leitrim Observer, Apr 4th 2001 Martin Breen, ‘Murder rap in sex film, court told, Belfast Telegraph, Apr 6th 2001 Martin Breen, ‘Sex video twist to murder rap court hearing, Belfast Telegraph, Apr 7th 2001 Martin Breen, ‘RUC divers search for missing man’, Belfast Telegraph, Apr 9th 2001 ‘“Serious concerns” regarding bail for wife of murdered Manor native’, Leitrim Observer, Apr 18th 2001 ‘Crown claims sex in a car couple killed her husband’, Leitrim Observer, May 9th 2001 ‘Murder trial hears of sex blackmail racket claims, Belfast Telegraph, May 19th 2001 Ann O’Loughlin and Isabel Hurley, ‘Body link to sex triangle’, Evening Herald, June 4th 2001 Aideen Sheehan and Ann O’Loughlin, ‘Body in woods may be link in sex triangle trial mystery’, Irish Independent, June 5th 2001 Leonie Gohery, ‘Decomposed body believed to be missing McGinley’, Leitrim OBserver, June 6th 2001 ‘Ballinamore body linked to sex triangle trial riddle’, Anglo Celt, June 7th 2001 Liam Collins, ‘A sorry tale of sex, blackmail and death’, Sunday Independent, June 10th 2001 ‘Three co-accused in case sent forward for trial’, Fermanagh Herald, Jan 30th 2002 ‘Submission heard in McGinley case’, Fermanagh Herald, Mar 27th 2002 ‘Murdered McGinley received three severe blows to the head’, Leitrim Observer, Apr 3rd 2002 ‘McPadden walks free in McGinley case’, Fermanagh Herald, Apr 17th 2002 ‘McGinley murder trial gets underway’, Fermanagh Herald, Sept 11th 2002 ‘Wife and lover deny murder’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 16th 2002 ‘Husband murdered by wife and lover’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 17th 2002 Michael Donnelly, ‘Wife and her lover killed husband to keep affair secret’, Evening Herald, Sept 17th 2002 Aileen Murphy, ‘Plastic wrap link to body’, Fermanagh Herald, Sept 18th 2002 John Keogh, ‘Lovers killed husband in a fit of passion’, Evening Herald, Sept 18th 2002 Aileen Murphy, ‘Murder trial told of family debt’, Ulster Herald, Sept 19th 2002 Phil Jones, ‘Girl found skeleton in woodland’, Evening Herald, Sept 19th 2002 Louisa Nesbitt, ‘Babysitter weeps over photos of children’, Irish Examiner, Sept 20th 2002 ‘Last hours of murder victim are recalled’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 20th 2002 ‘Real IRA threat to murdered man’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 21st 2002 ‘Murder accused flirted with hotel boss, court told’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 24th 2002 Michael Donnelly, ‘Accused flirted with hotel owner, murder trial told’, Irish Independent, Sept 24th 2002 ‘Business partner caught with pants down’, Fermanagh Herald, Sept 25th 2002 ‘Jury hears motive for murder was passion and money’, Leitrim Observer, Sept 25th 2002 ‘Court hears murdered man got his dues’, Evening Herald, Sept 26th 2002 ‘Victim got what was coming to him’, Belfast Telegraph, Sept 26th 2002 John Keogh, ‘Murder accused said the victim would be pushing up heather, court told’, Evening Herald, Sept 27th 2002 ‘Accused feared for her husband’, Evening Herald, Oct 1st 2002 ‘Court hears murder victim hired a hitman’, Leitrim Observer, Oct 2nd 2002 ‘Murdered man friend with ‘criminal fraternity’’, Fermanagh Herald, Oct 2nd 2002 ‘Jury told Gerard McGinley was a convicted rapist’, Leitrim Observer, Oct 2nd 2002 ‘Scraps of love note found in accused’s van’, Belfast Telegraph, Oct 3rd 2002 ‘Wife not told she was suspect’, Belfast Telegraph, oct 4th 2002 ‘Priest tells murder trial of warning’, Belfast Telegraph, Oct 8th 2002 For a full list of sources, please see mensreapod.com