02-05-2025
Man accused of trying to defraud family of murdered journalist Martin O'Hagan appears in court
Standing in the dock of Craigavon Magistrates Court 42-year-old Michael Kingsberry confirmed his identity and that he understood the single charge against him
An Englishman appeared in court today accused of trying to defraud the family of murdered journalist Martin O'Hagan.
Standing in the dock of Craigavon Magistrates Court 42-year-old Michael Kingsberry confirmed his identity and that he understood the single charge against him.
Kingsberry, from The Maples, Sycamore Close in Doncaster, faces one charge of fraud by false representation in that on 15 August 2019 he allegedly 'made a false representation, namely purported to hold official documents with the intention…to make a gain for yourself or another or to cause loss to family of Martin O'Hagan (deceased) or to expose them to a risk of loss.'
Michael Kingsberry
Today's News in 90 Seconds - Friday May 2
Although none of the alleged facts were opened to the court, Det. Const. Dillon said she believed she could connect Kingsberry to the charge.
Kingsberry was arrested in Sheffield last month with the assistance of Counter Terrorism Policing North East and South Yorkshire Police. It was reported that the prosecution case against Kingsberry is that he tried to claim a reward for information about the 2001 murder of Sunday World reporter Martin O'Hagan.
Martin was 51-years-old when he was gunned down by the LVF as he walked home with his wife Marie from a pub on 28 September 2001.
In a statement released after Kingsberry was charged, the O'Hagan family said the 'prosecution arises from our announcement of a reward for information that would lead to the conviction of anyone connected to Martin's murder'.
The statement, issued by law firm KRW, added that while they 'welcome the decision' to charge Kingsberry, their engagement with him 'was always with a strong sense of critical awareness' and that 'at no stage did we agree to pay, or actually pay, any reward.'
In court today, a prosecuting lawyer told District Judge Natasha Fitzsimmons the case will be 'passed to the central team' within the PPS for allocation to a senior prosecutor, adding that the 'full file' is due to be received by 4 June.
Freeing Kingsberry on his own bail of £500, the judge said she accepted 'it is a complex file' so granting the PPS application, she put the case back to 13 June.
As part of his bail conditions Kingsberry is barred from contacting the O'Hagan family, barred from asking anyone else to contact them and he is also barred from entering Lurgan.
Although defence counsel Cameron Faulkner asked for Kingsberry to be excused from attending on the next occasion, Judge Fitzsimmons said she would have to see the medical evidence before granting that.
