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May 29, 2013

Mauritius editor convicted for publishing photographs of honeymoon murder victim Michaela McAreavey

By William Turvill

A newspaper editor in Mauritius has reportedly been convicted for publishing photographs of a Northern Irish honeymooner murdered in her hotel.

Michaela McAreavey, from County Tyrone, was murdered in the Legends hotel in January 2011, when she was 27.

On 15 July 2012 The Sunday Times in Mauritius published pictures from the crime scene, showing her body and injuries.

The paper apologised a couple of days later and then editor Imraan Hosany was arrested three days after publication.

According to the BBC, Hosany was today found guilty and will be sentenced tomorrow. His lawyer told the BBC he will appeal.

After the photographs were published by the newspaper, Mauritian police raided the newspaper offices in Port Louis in search of the photographs.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said at the time the actions of the Mauritian Sunday Times in publishing the photographs were "callous and unjustifiable".

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