In May, the Court of Appeal quashed the murder conviction, stating it held there was a “catalogue of procedural errors” in the case that rendered the conviction unsafe and ordered a retrial
13:26, 05 Jun 2026
Edward Meenan
A man today pleaded not guilty to the murder of a father-of-eight in Derry.
Sean Ciaran Joseph Rodgers, 38, was led into Belfast Crown Court in handcuffs by two prison officers for his arraignment hearing.
When the charge of murdering Edward Jude John Meenan on November 25, 2018, was put to him by the clerk of the court, Rodgers, of no fixed abode in Ballymena, Co Antrim, replied: “Not guilty.”
The partially-clothed body of 52-year-old Eddie Meenan was found in an alleyway off Creggan Street, Derry.
He had sustained over 42 stab wounds with injuries to his neck, chest, arm and legs.
In March 2022, following a trial at Belfast Crown Court, Rodgers was unanimously found guilty by a jury of Mr Meenan’s murder.
He had denied stabbing Mr Meenan, stating he had only used his hands and feet in self defence after two masked men entered a house he was in and a violent confrontation took place.
It was during this confrontation that Mr Meenan sustained his fatal injuries.
His legal team subsequently petitioned the Court of Appeal stating Rodgers had been convicted following an unfair trial; the trial judge failed to properly direct the jury on self-defence; and the jury were misdirected or inadequately directed on the loss of control.
Following submissions, the Court of Appeal in May this year quashed the murder conviction, stating it held there was a “catalogue of procedural errors” in the case that rendered the conviction unsafe and ordered a retrial.
In court on Friday, defence solicitor Paul Farrell said an application for Rodgers to be freed on bail had been lodged.
However, he told Madam Justice Bride that he was adjourning the application to another date in light of information he had received and would need to speak to the police officer dealing with the case.
“I think there are matters that I would like to address in relation to the application before formally before moving it before the court,” said Mr Farrell.
“I am not withdrawing the application I am just applying to adjourn the application for bail.”
He said the court will be aware that the case has come back to the Crown Court following a “successful appeal at the Court of Criminal Appeal”.
Mr Farrell said senior and junior counsel from the appeal have been retained for the Crown Court case.
He added that due to the withdrawal of services by criminal barristers in a dispute over legal aid fees, they have not been instructed and it was not a case that has been exempted from the industrial action.
Senior prosecution counsel Liam McCollum KC said that once the criminal barristers “are back to work”, a time table could be set for moving the case forward towards a fresh trial.
Madam Justice McBride said she would review the case on Thursday, June 18, 2026 and granted legal aid for two defence counsel.
Following the short hearing, Rodgers was remanded back into custody.
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