Legal blow to UK immunity for crimes in Troubles era

CAMPAIGNERS yesterday vowed to fight on after a court ruled that conditional immunity from prosecution for Troubles-era offences does not comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The provision had been included in the Government’s Legacy Act, which involved a conditional amnesty for those suspected of crimes in Northern Ireland.

It also introduced a ban on inquests and future civil actions.

Troubles victims behind a legal challenge to the Act yesterday welcomed the Belfast High Court ruling, but called it only “half” their case.

Supporters

Martina Dillon, John McEvoy and Lynda McManus were behind the challenge, questioning the human rights compliance of the Act, and have vowed to fight on, potentially to the Supreme Court.

Many supporters accompanied the trio to court yesterday and banners calling for justice for a number of atrocities were held aloft.

Ms Dillon, whose husband Seamus was shot dead by loyalist terrorists in Co Tyrone, said: “I thought today I would have won my full case. I got half my case today but I have not given up the fight.

“I have fought for 26 years and I will continue to fight on. I’ll fight until I get truth and justice.”

Mr McEvoy, who survived a gun attack at a bar in Co Down in 1992, said: “The fight still goes on until we get justice for everybody involved here.”

Ms McManus said, while she is grateful her case went forward, she was thinking of other victims who have not been heard.

Grainne Teggart, from Amnesty International, called the ruling an “important and significant development in a complex case”.

She said: “We welcome the findings from the court today, particularly in respect of immunity from prosecutions, and striking that out of the law, and also the findings around civil claims, that that immediate ban has also been struck out.

“That’s an important and significant development for many victims. Today was always going to be round one. We know this is a complex case so we will continue to fight on until such times as victims’ rights are vindicated.”

Ms Teggart said there are “significant questions” for Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to answer and urged him to repeal the Act.

She said: “The core part of this legislation was the immunity from prosecution. That has now been stripped out, struck out from the law. We urge them to repeal this legislation and put in its place processes that finally prioritise victims.”