Family of Hyde Park IRA victim begin civil case
AN IRA member accused of the 1982 Hyde Park bombing has transferred ownership of the bulk of his properties to other people in a bid to avoid paying compensation, a court heard yesterday.
The family of one of the four Royal Household Cavalrymen who died in the blast yesterday began a civil action in the High Court against John Downey for the loss of their loved ones.
L/cpl Jeffrey Young, 19, Squadron Quartermaster Cpl Roy Bright, 36, Lieut Dennis Daly, 23, and Tpr Simon Tipper, 19, were killed by a car bomb as they rode through the park to attend the daily Changing the Guard ceremony.
Mr Downey, who has always denied responsibility for their deaths, walked free from the Old Bailey in 2014 after it emerged he had received a so-called “comfort” letter dating back to 2007 as part of the Good Friday Agreement peace deal.
The trial judge ruled that the letter guaranteed he would not face trial and that to proceed was an abuse of executive power.
L/cpl Young’s family have begun a civil claim against Mr Downey on behalf of all the families.
The High Court heard confirmation of revelations by The Daily Telegraph earlier this year that Mr Downey has transferred part of his assets to his wife, including a share in their Donegal home, in an apparent attempt to avoid paying any damages.
Nevertheless, Anne Studd QC, counsel for L/cpl Young’s family, told a preliminary hearing: “We are reasonably confident he has assets to which a judgment could be attached.”
It was indicated in court yesterday that Mr Downey may object to the case against him as “an abuse of process” and argue that too much time has passed for him to receive a fair hearing.
Mr Downey told the Donegal Democrat, after his trial collapsed, that he called for an international truth commission as a way to safeguard the peace process. The suit is expected to take over a year.