Crowd backs calls for public inquiry into 1997 murder of GAA official
It comes after the UK Government confirmed that it will seek to appeal to the Supreme Court over a court ruling that ordered it to hold a public inquiry into the killing of Sean Brown.
Mr Brown's family met Irish deputy premier Simon Harris earlier this week as part of their campaign to see a public inquiry heard.
Friday evening saw people travel from across Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to Bellaghy to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC.
Those in attendance included First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone and GAA president Jarlath Burns.
Many wore GAA shirts from their home clubs or counties as they showed solidarity with the Brown family.
There was a spontaneous round of applause for Mr Brown's family who led the procession as it reached the town centre.
Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of the club in the Co Londonderry town, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.
No-one has ever been convicted of his killing.
Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents.
It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning.
Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry.
It said the failure to hold such an inquiry was unlawful.
However, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn says the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary.
Addressing the crowd, Mr Burns described the 'absolute barbarism' of the murder of Mr Brown as having 'only been matched by the depravity of what has happened since, when the family have been denied truth and justice and any sort of decency from the British Government'.
He said Mr Brown would have been proud of how his family have campaigned for justice for him.
'We are not going to stop until we get the public inquiry that this family deserves,' Mr Burns said to applause.
Mr Brown's daughter Claire Loughran thanked all those who turned out in support of her family.
'We're honestly overwhelmed by the turnout, it's incredibly touching to see so many people here and it means a great deal to us,' she said.
'It reminds us that although our journey for truth and justice has been long, we are not walking it alone.'
Ms Loughran added: 'We won't stop, not until the truth is heard, not until justice is done and not until every family who suffers in silence knows that they are not forgotten.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
19 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Explosive Sun Madeleine McCann doc reveals bombshell new evidence and why Christian Brueckner is prime suspect
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EXPLOSIVE new Madeleine McCann evidence can finally be revealed in a bombshell documentary. The Sun's world exclusive doc lifts the lid on gripping new information and reveals why Christian Brueckner is the prime suspect. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Madeleine McCann disappeared in Praia da Luz, Portugal in May 2007 Credit: AFP 6 Christian Brueckner, prime suspect in the case, is in jail in Germany but due to be released in September Credit: Dan Charity 6 The recent search for DNA evidence failed to turn up any clues Credit: Dan Charity Our compelling investigation unveils the horrors found at his abandoned factory lair - and his obsession with small children. Madeleine McCann: Inside the Secret Evidence is now available to watch online for free on our YouTube page. The dossier of overwhelming circumstantial evidence includes exclusive images of kids' swimming costumes, a toddler bike and toys found at his property. We also reveal how cops found a mask, guns and child kidnap stories where Brueckner describes using kidnap chemical ether to take a mum and tot outside a preschool. Ourfilmreveals the existence of an 80gb hard drive containing images and a laptop key, which may be key in persuading investigators of Madeleine's death. And it also placed Breuckner at the key Maddie search location of the Arades Dam, in Portugal. A document puts the suspectat the location where he allegedly confessed by supposedly saying 'she did not scream' as he discussed the British toddler with an associate. We also reveal sick child kidnap stories where Breuckner wrote: 'A very small girl enters the room. She's definitely not older than five. 'Blonde, long hair tied in pigtails bounces cheekily back and forth as she comes towards me. I feel like I'm in paradise right now." Madeleine McCann cops call off search as trawl of Brueckner's 'rat run' turns up nothing Online messages we uncovered from Brueckner show him bragging to another sicko that he really wanted to 'capture something small and use it for days'. He even threatened it wouldn't matter 'if the evidence is destroyed afterwards' and gleefully added: 'I'll make a lot of films... hehe.' Our documentary on the police files represents the biggest leap forwards in understanding of the case since German police revealed Brueckner as a suspect in 2020. It contains an interview with Irish holiday rep Hazel Behan, 41, who Brueckner was cleared of raping in 2005 at trial in Germany last year. Hear from experts at The Sun and in Germany about the ongoing race against time to stop dangerous Brueckner being released in as little as three months. 6 A hidden hard drive with photos taken in Portugal convinced police Madeleine died soon after vanishing 6 Cops found 75 youngsters' swimming costumes at childless Brueckner's bolthole in Neuwegersleben Credit: Dan Charity 6 Children's toys and bikes were found at the suspect's lair Credit: Dan Charity And learn more about fears he could potentially take hopes for the McCann case to ground with him. Christian Brueckner refuses to answer police questions or provide an alibi, but has never been formally charged over the disappearance of murder of Madeleine McCann. He has insisted his innocence in letters while his lawyers continue to maintain he had nothing to do with the taking or killing of Maddie. The most recent search for evidence was a three-day dig last week in an area of scrubland near Praia da Luz where Brueckner was known to have wild camped. German and Portuguese police used JCB-type machines and ground-penetrating radar, but found "nothing of consequence" - dashing hopes of pinning Brueckner with DNA evidence.
Rhyl Journal
24 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Spending review is ‘settled', says Downing Street
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce funding increases for the NHS, schools and defence along with a number of infrastructure projects on Wednesday, as she shares out some £113 billion freed up by looser borrowing rules. But other areas could face cuts as she seeks to balance manifesto commitments with more recent pledges, such as a hike in defence spending, while meeting her fiscal rules that promise to match day-to-day spending with revenues. On Monday morning, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was the last minister still to reach a deal with the Treasury, with reports suggesting greater police spending would mean a squeeze on other areas of her department's budget. Speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The spending review is settled, we will be focused on investing in Britain's renewal so that all working people are better off. 'The first job of the Government was to stabilise the British economy and the public finances, and now we move into a new chapter to deliver the promise and change.' The Government has committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament – a timetable which could stretch to 2034. Ms Reeves' plans will also include an £86 billion package for science and technology research and development. Last week the Chancellor admitted that she had been forced to turn down requests for funding for projects she would have wanted to back, amid the Whitehall spending wrangling. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan's office is concerned that Wednesday's announcement will include no new funding or projects for London. The mayor had been looking to secure extensions to the Docklands Light Railway and Bakerloo line on the Underground, along with the power to introduce a tourist levy and a substantial increase in funding for the Metropolitan Police. A source close to the mayor said on Monday that ministers 'must not return to the damaging, anti-London approach of the last government', adding this would harm both London's public services and 'jobs and growth across the country'. They said: 'Sadiq will always stand up for London and has been clear it would be unacceptable if there are no major infrastructure projects for London announced in the spending review and the Met doesn't get the funding it needs. 'We need backing for London as a global city that's pro-business, safe and well-connected.'
Rhyl Journal
24 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
School loses Supreme Court bid over Christian staff member sacked for LGBT posts
Kristie Higgs, a Christian mother of two, was sacked from her role at Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire, in 2019 for sharing Facebook posts criticising teaching about LGBT+ relationships in schools. In February, she won a Court of Appeal battle related to her dismissal, with three senior judges finding that the decision to sack her for gross misconduct was 'unlawfully discriminatory' and 'unquestionably a disproportionate response'. The school sought to appeal against the ruling at the Supreme Court in March, but three justices refused to give the school the green light to challenge the decision in the UK's highest court. In a decision on Thursday, which was published on Monday, Lord Reed, Lord Hamblen, and Lady Simler said that the school had asked for the go-ahead to appeal against the ruling on four grounds. But they said that the Supreme Court 'does not have jurisdiction' to hear three of the grounds, and the fourth 'does not raise an arguable question of law'. In response to the decision, Mrs Higgs said: 'I am relieved and grateful to the Supreme Court for this common-sense decision. 'Christians have the right to express their beliefs on social media and at other non-work-related settings without fear of being punished by their employer.' Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre – which supported Mrs Higgs' case, said: 'We welcome the Supreme Court's decision, which brings a decisive closure to this extraordinary case.' She continued: 'The Court of Appeal confirmed, loud and clear, that ideological censorship in the workplace, particularly against sincerely held Christian convictions, is illegal. 'This latest decision from the Supreme Court is further proof that our tireless work at the Christian Legal Centre, in defending so many Christian freedoms cases, has not been in vain.' Mrs Higgs, who worked as a pastoral administrator and work experience manager at the school, shared two posts on a private page under her maiden name in October 2018 to about 100 friends, which raised concerns about relationship education at her son's Church of England primary school. She either copied and pasted from another source or reposted the content, adding her own reference in one post to 'brainwashing our children'. BREAKING: The Supreme Court has today refused to hear the appeal of Farmor's School in Fairford, Gloucestershire of the landmark Kristie Higgs Court of Appeal ruling. In February 2025, in a seminal judgment for Christian freedom and free speech, the Court of Appeal had reversed… — Christian Concern (@CConcern) June 9, 2025 Pupils were to learn about the No Outsiders In Our School programme, a series of books that teach the Equality Act in primary schools. An employment tribunal found in 2020 that while Mrs Higgs' religion was a protected characteristic, her dismissal was lawful, but this decision was overturned by an Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in 2023. But the EAT ruled the case should be sent back to an employment tribunal for a fresh decision, which Mrs Higgs' lawyers challenged in the Court of Appeal as 'unnecessary'. In a judgment, Lord Justice Underhill, sitting with Lord Justice Bean and Lady Justice Falk, ruled in Mrs Higgs' favour in February, stating: 'The dismissal of an employee merely because they have expressed a religious or other protected belief to which the employer, or a third party with whom it wishes to protect its reputation, objects will constitute unlawful direct discrimination within the meaning of the Equality Act.'
