Ninth pub bomb victim’s family joins legal battle
ANINTH Birmingham pub bombings family is now being represented by lawyers involved in the inquest funding deadlock with the Government.
The family of Pamela Palmer has joined eight others already represented by Belfast-based KRW Law.
Pamela was aged 19 when she was killed along with 20 others when IRA bombers struck at The Tavern In The Town and The Mulberry Bush. The attacks also left 182 injured. Members of Ms Palmer’s family joined the group as a pre-inquest hearing review was adjourned by Coroner Peter Thornton QC.
KRW Law also represents the families of Clifford Jones, John Rowlands, James Craig, Lynn Bennett, Stanley Bodman, Maxine Hambleton, Paul Davies and Trevor Thrupp.
With the family of brother victims Desmond and Eugene Reilly already represented by Liverpool-based lawyers Jackson Canter, it now means that relatives of more than half of the 21 victims are represented legally.
A KRW Law spokesman said: “Since 2014 we have been instructed by, given advice and represented these families who now have a last opportunity to access truth, justice and accountability about the loss of their loved ones.
“Our clients have trusted and relied upon us to secure the resumption of the inquests.
“We have engaged in negotiations with the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) in order to obtain public funding on behalf of our clients so that they can fulfil their right to effectively participate in the resumed inquests into the deaths of their loved ones. KRW Law is a law firm registered in Northern Ireland. Our clients came to us to seek advice. They maintain their position that they wish to instruct us to represent them in the resumed inquests – to protect their legitimate interests in this complex, sensitive and lengthy process.
“KRW Law does not have a contract for legal aid in England and Wales which is why public funding cannot be provided to its clients, despite the LAA recognition of our ability to conduct this work.”
The situation still remains at stalemate despite the House of Commons being told by Justice Minister Sir Oliver Heald in October: “The issue is not so much whether the funding is through the legal aid fund or through a Hillsborough-type approach as the fact that the families should be represented if the case requires. That is the system we are trying to create.”
A representative from KRW Law attended the hearing but without Counsel and with no recognised rights of audience.
The spokesman said: “We were not in a position to address the Coroner on the substantive matters he had invited us and the other interested persons to address.
“Nevertheless, he allowed us to speak on behalf of those we represent on the issue of public funding.
“The Coroner listened intently to our submissions and whilst not be able to grant public funding stressed to our clients and the media – and those charged with decision making in government – he supported our client’s applications for public funding and that there was a compelling case for representation.”