Hope of short jail terms

ANY jail sentences for Bloody Sunday offences would be short, the Northern Ireland Secretary has indicated.

Karen Bradley said ‘anyone’ convicted of a Troublesrelated crime was covered by a section of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that has allowed hundreds of convicted terrorists to apply for early release after two years.

The early-release scheme only covers offences committed between 1973 and 1998. However, legislation proposed by the Government includes a provision to extend it back to January 1968 and the start of the Troubles.

Mrs Bradley said on Monday that a consultation on the issue had concluded in October and the 17,000 responses were still being analysed.

‘It is right we take the time to consider each response fully and I will set out the next steps in this process as soon as I can,’ she told MPs.