Black found guilty of Cardy murder

Robert Black has been found guilty of murdering Jennifer Cardy in Ballinderry, County Antrim, 30 years ago.

The jury in the trial at Armagh Crown Court was sent out to consider its verdict on Wednesday morning and on Thursday Judge Mr Justice Ronald Weatherup said he did not want an outburst when the verdict was announced.

When it was finally delivered, there was an audible sigh from the public gallery. Black showed no emotion.

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Judge Weatherup told Black: “You have been convicted by a jury of murder. There is only one sentence that will be imposed by law.

“That’s the sentence of life imprisonment. Accordingly, I sentence you to life imprisonment.”

He then turned to the guards and said: “Take him down please.”

As Black was led away, Jennifer’s mother Patricia burst into tears and a member of the jury also began to cry.

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Jennifer had left her home to cycle a short distance away to meet a friend on August 12, 1981. During the course of the five-week trial, the jury heard that Jennifer had left her home to cycle a short distance away to meet a friend.

Her red bicycle, which had been a birthday present two weeks earlier, was later found thrown over a hedge close to her home.

After a huge search operation, her body was found at McKee’s Dam near Hillsborough, six days after she disappeared.

In August 1981, Black was working as a delivery driver for a London-based poster company.

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The prosecution said this role brought him to the Lisburn area on 12 August, the day Jennifer went missing.

He stopped Jennifer before she reached her friend’s house, abducted her, sexually assaulted her and killed her before dumping her body at McKee’s Dam.

It emerged during the trial that the 64-year-old was a predatory paedophile with a history of abusing young girls.

Black, originally from Grangemouth in Scotland, is serving life in prison for the murders of three children.

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