Donaldson murder accused to get book of evidence

A 49-year-old man charged with the murder of former senior Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson has been remanded in custody by the Special Criminal Court until June. Antoin Duffy, of Braade, Kincasslagh, County Donegal, appeared via video link and faced six charges including the fatal shooting at an isolated Donegal cottage in April 2006. He is also charged with attempted murder and firearms offences relating to separate incidents in 2007. The court directed that two books of evidence be served on his solicitors at a hearing scheduled for 8 June. Duffy was extradited from Scotland in late March, where he had been imprisoned since 2015 following conviction for involvement in a plot against the Ulster Defence Association. Donaldson, aged 55, was shot dead twenty years ago after being exposed as a long-serving MI5 informant. The dissident republican organisation calling itself the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing.