The State of Us

Chloe Mitchell was missing for a week before her remains were found. The 21-year-old was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena near her home in the early hours of a Saturday morning in June 2023. Brandon Rainey denies murdering her and preventing the lawful burial of Chloe’s remains. In this series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take you inside the courtroom, bringing you the...

Chloe Mitchell was missing for a week before her remains were found. The 21-year-old was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena near her home in the early hours of a Saturday morning in June 2023. Brandon Rainey denies murdering her and preventing the lawful burial of Chloe’s remains. In this series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take you inside the courtroom, bringing you the...

21 year old Chloe Mitchell was missing for a week before her remains were found. She was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena near her home in the early hours of a Saturday morning in June 2023. Brandon Rainey denies murdering her and preventing the lawful burial of Chloe’s remains. In this series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take you inside the courtroom, bringing you the...

Chloe Mitchell was missing for a week before her remains were found. The 21-year-old was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena near her home in the early hours of a Saturday morning in June 2023. Brandon Rainey denies murdering her and preventing the lawful burial of Chloe’s remains. In this series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take you inside the courtroom, bringing you the...

Chloe Mitchell was missing for a week before her remains were found. The 21-year-old was last seen on CCTV in Ballymena near her home in the early hours of a Saturday morning in June 2023. Brandon Rainey denies murdering her and preventing the lawful burial of Chloe’s remains. In this series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take you inside the courtroom, bringing you the...

A High Court judge dismisses a legal bid to overturn the Secretary of State’s decision banning a contentious Orange Order parade down the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road in Portadown. In his lengthy judgment Mr Justice Scoffield said the decision, taken on October 9, had been “lawful”. Judicial review proceedings were brought by a member of Portadown District Lodge against Sir Chris Bryant and th...

As a preview to The State of Us live show at the Belfast Media Festival in November Tara Mills and Declan Harvey take an in-depth look at the popularity of court podcasts. Why are people so fascinated with the detail from inside trials and inquests. Register here to be in the audience on November 10th belfastmediafestival.co.uk.

The outcome of the most recent legal challenge of the decisions on the Drumcree march will be revealed next week. Today, lawyers for Garvaghy Road residents said they should not be conflated with dissident republicans. The PSNI’s barrister said mentions of the Provisional IRA were outside the confines of this case, and concerns should be taken up with the Policing Board.

Police intelligence found dissident republicans may have mounted gun attacks on officers had they cleared a path for a parade on the Garvaghy Road. Loyalist paramilitaries were also "depicting signs of frustration". The intelligence was revealed at Belfast High Court today, where Sir Chris Bryant’s decision to ban the contentious parade is being challenged by the Portadown Orange Order.

A special programme from The State of Us podcast. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey report on the fifteen year prison sentence handed down to Jeffrey Donaldson for child sex abuse. The former DUP leader was convicted in June of rape, gross indecency and indecent assault of two women when they were children. The programme hears what the judge said to the sixty three old former MP and knight of the realm...

Garvaghy Road residents lost their bid to challenge the Parades Commission's decision in the Court of Appeal today. What arguments were made? Why did the right to march win out? And what does this ruling mean for other Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland?

The Secretary of State  says his decision to ban the Orange Order’s Drumcree parade was taken in the best interests of peace. His action came after an agreement couldn’t be reached between the Portadown District Lodge and the Garvaghy Road residents. Sir Chris Bryant said he received advice from the Chief Constable that allowing the march down the mainly nationalist area could lead to serious inju...

Eleanor Donaldson’s trial of the facts earlier this year, as part of her husband Jeffrey Donaldon’s sex abuse case, brought a complicated legal process into the headlines. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey explain in detail what a trial of the facts is, and why it can be difficult for victims and survivors to navigate. They also hear from a woman whose abuser faced a trial of the facts last year and wh...

The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in a bid by Garvaghy Road residents to challenge a decision to allow a controversial Orange Order parade down the predominantly nationalist road. Three judges listened to almost four hours of legal arguments inside a packed courtroom in Belfast. The deadlock over the proposed march in Portadown has lasted since the 27th of September. Declan Harvey and Tara...

As the Garvaghy Road residents prepare to head back to the Court of Appeal on Friday we learn more about what police told the Parades Commission before its determination. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey discuss the latest twists in the dispute over the contentious Drumcree march, including some straight-talking remarks from the PSNI chief constable and how an AI image has generated some controversy.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill has been reported to the police by the Orange Order for attending a protest blocking the Garvaghy Road. What is the law on ‘spontaneous’ protests?

What are the rules around marching and policing. How do they play out in reality, do they apply to everyone and who enforces them? Tara Mills and Declan Harvey shed more light on the standoff at Drumcree.

How the courts gave the Drumcree march the go ahead. After the Parades Commission’s decision to allow the march, Garvaghy Rd residents and the Portadown Orange Order took their dispute to court. An overnight 15-hour legal battle ensued.

A special series from The State of Us podcast. The two women Jeffrey Donaldson abused as children came to court today, as his prison sentence was discussed. He will be sentenced in October. Eleanor Donaldson has been asked to attend court at a later date to hear the outcome of the verdict in her trial of the facts.

The Parades Commission has given the Garvaghy Road march the go ahead after 28 years. We explore the arguments that tipped the scale.

How did the Drumcree dispute bring Northern Ireland to a standstill? Tara Mills and Declan Harvey explain how it all began.

A special programme from The State of Us podcast. The former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty in June 2026 of rape, gross indecency and indecent assault of two women when they were children. His wife Eleanor Donaldson was found to have done the acts in relation to five charges , including four counts of aiding and abetting her husband’s offending. Jeffrey Donaldson’s appeal was lodged...

A special programme from The State of Us podcast. In the summer of 2020, 14-year-old Noah Donohoe went missing in Belfast. Six days later his body was found in a storm drain. His disappearance and death have dominated headlines for the last six years. After almost six months of evidence, jurors deliver their verdict on where, when and how Noah died.

A special series from The State of Us podcast. In the summer of 2020, 14-year-old Noah Donohoe went missing in Belfast. Six days later his body was found in a storm drain. His disappearance and death have dominated headlines for six years. The inquest into his death will, for the first time, lay out the facts and evidence in this case. In this special series from The State of Us podcast, Tara Mill...

A special series from The State of Us podcast. In the summer of 2020, 14-year-old Noah Donohoe went missing in Belfast. Six days later his body was found in a storm drain. His disappearance and death have dominated headlines for five and a half years. The inquest into his death will, for the first time, lay out the facts and evidence in this case. In this special series from The State of Us podcas...