Legacy body 'lacks powers of a public inquiry to examine Sean Brown murder'
The head of a legacy body has conceded it does not have the same array of powers that a public inquiry would to examine the murder of GAA official Sean Brown.
The Irish Government is among those who have backed his family's long campaign for such an investigation.
Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal in Belfast affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his killing.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
Mr Brown, 61, then chairman of Wolfe Tones GAA Club in the Co Derry town of Bellaghy, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.
No-one has 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 was also alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume the following morning.
Mr Brown's widow, Bridie, said that she does not know why her husband was killed and reiterated her call for a public inquiry into his death to answer the questions her family has.
"I don't know why they chose Sean, I just do not know because he was the same with everybody," the 87-year-old said during an interview on BBC's The GAA Social podcast.
"He treated everybody alike, he walked with both sides of the community."
She also paid tribute to the thousands of people who turned out in Bellaghy last Friday to support her family's campaign for a public inquiry.
"It was emotional. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought about so big a turnout," Mrs Brown said.
Last month, Mr Benn said he was taking steps to ensure that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was capable of carrying out an independent and rigorous investigation into Mr Brown's murder.
During an appearance at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, ICRIR Chief Commissioner Declan Morgan was pressed by SDLP leader Claire Hanna on the case.
Mr Morgan said that if it came to the ICRIR, investigators would carry out a cold case review, a scoping exercise and would treat the case as a criminal investigation and gather the evidence.
"But I agree that we could not do the next step which is subsequent to that, once the terms of reference have been set, and up to that point, we're definitely Article 2 compliant," he told MPs.
"But the next bit is having identified what the issues are to then organise a hearing with proper representation by lawyers in relation to that, and also understanding that the sensitive information arrangements, in my view, need to be reviewed and the commission needs to be able to exercise proper challenge in relation to those."
Speaking outside the meeting, Ms Hanna said the ICRIR in its current form "cannot fully meet the needs of the family of Sean Brown".
"Today's comments from Sir Declan Morgan are welcome and shine a light on where the ICRIR falls short," Ms Hanna said.
"Any further delay to the resuming and restarting of inquests alongside the continued denial of a public inquiry to the Brown family is the British government delaying truth and justice.
"The SDLP is committed to the delivery of legacy structures that families can buy into. Sir Declan's comments underline our key concerns about deficiencies relating to participation by families in proceedings and the continued existence of a veto on information by the secretary of state".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
14 hours ago
- Sunday World
'Danger to society' who subject ex-partner to ‘reign of terror' is resentenced
Scott Donegan pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the false imprisonment of an ex-partner during a four-hour ordeal at his home on November 9, 2022. The Court of Appeal has ruled that a sentence of eight years and seven months was not unduly lenient for a 'danger to society' who inflicted 'a reign of terror' on his former partner and threatened to stab a man to death. However, the court ruled that the cumulative sentences imposed on Scott Donegan (39) could not stand due to how they were structured by the sentencing judge, and he was resentenced today. Donegan, of Knockmore, Kilmilhil, Co Clare, pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the false imprisonment of an ex-partner during a four-hour ordeal at his home on November 9, 2022. He also pleaded guilty to producing a knife at the same address on the same date contrary to Section 11 of the Offensive Weapons and Firearms Act. Detective Garda Donal Corkery told the Ennis court that Donegan took the mobile phone off the woman and forced her to sit in a chair 'where she was frozen out of fear due to the aggressive behaviour of Mr Donegan'. Scott Donegan News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025 Det Corkery stated that Donegan ran at the woman with a knife and put her in fear. The detective said Donegan then grabbed the woman by the throat and squeezed her windpipe. He said that Donegan told her that he had a Glock handgun and a shotgun. Det Corkery said that four of Donegan's previous convictions were for assault against three ex-partners when Donegan went under the name of Paul McMenamy. This incident was committed while Donegan was on bail for a separate matter, relating to a charge of making threats to kill on April 19, 2021, when he verbally abused a man and threatened to stab him to death. The total sentence imposed for all offences at the Circuit Criminal Court in Ennis in September 2023 was eight years and seven months, with the final nine months suspended. Judge Francis Comerford imposed 20 months for the offence of making threats to kill, with this sentence made consecutive to a sentence of 83 months for the false imprisonment and the production of a knife. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed this sentence, saying it was unduly lenient. In delivering judgement today, Mr Justice John Edwards said the court did not fault the sentencing judge for regarding the false imprisonment offence as being the most serious offence, as the judge had carefully assessed the respondent's culpability in a careful and rigorous manner. He said the sentencing judge was right in regarding the production of a knife as being an aggravating factor, as was the respondent's previous record. However, Mr Justice Edwards went on to say: 'The sentencing judge was significantly in error in how he structured his sentence.' He said it was clear that, where an offender is being sentenced for an offence committed while on bail, the sentence imposed should be made consecutive to the sentence imposed for the previous offence. Mr Justice Edwards said that the sentencing judge was required to make the sentences for false imprisonment and the production of a knife consecutive to any sentence imposed for the offence involving threats to kill. However, the sentencing judge had instead made the sentence for threats to kill consecutive to the other sentences. He said that while the court found that the sentencing judge's failure to apply the statute correctly made no practical difference to the overall sentence, the sentences could not stand as presently structured. He added that it did not follow, however, that the court regarded the overall sentence as unduly lenient. Quashing the original sentence and moving on to resentencing, Mr Justice Edwards said that for the offence of making threats to kill, the court would nominate a headline sentence of 25 months and discount five months to reflect mitigation, leaving 20 months. For the false imprisonment and the production of a knife, which were committed while the respondent was on bail, the court nominated a headline sentence of 10 years and five months and three years and four months, respectively. Having considered mitigating factors, he reduced the sentences to six years and eleven months and 25 months respectively, to run concurrently. Mr Justice Edwards said this was to be consecutive to the 20 months for the offence of making threats to kill. Mr Justice Edwards said the court would suspend the final nine months, making a cumulative sentence of seven years and ten months to be served. Conditions of the suspended portion of the sentence are that Donegan is to keep the peace for three years post release, have no contact with the injured parties, and submit to supervision by the probation services. In her victim impact statement, the Co Clare woman told the court that Scott Donegan 'is a danger to society, and he has scarred and damaged me for life'. The woman said that Donegan imposed 'a reign of terror' on her during the four-hour ordeal despite her begging him to stop. She said: 'I believed that I would be killed by him and never see my children or family again.'
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Carlow brothers who went on a ‘crime spree' that left man in his 60s with traumatic brain injury appeal sentences
Today at 13:54 Two brothers who went on a Christmas Day 'crime spree' involving the arson of a car and a serious assault that left a man in his 60s with a traumatic brain injury have appealed their ten-year sentences. While barristers for Colin (36) and Glen Murphy (33) submitted to the Court of Appeal that the sentencing judge should not have imposed consecutive sentences, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy remarked that the assault of the man in his 60s was at the very top end of the scale and arguably could have been a section 4 assault, which is an offence of causing serious harm.
Irish Post
a day ago
- Irish Post
British Government must ‘honour its commitments' on Casement Park
FIRST Minister Michelle O'Neill has called on the British Government to honour its commitments on funding the redevelopment of Casement Park stadium. Out of action since 2013, the GAA grounds in Belfast are in need of a costly rebuild in order to make them fit for purpose once again. There were hopes that the site could be rebuilt in time to host matches within the upcoming Euro 2028 tournament, which is due to take place at venues across Britain and Ireland, but these were dashed last year when the British Government pulled its funding for the project, claiming there was 'significant risk' that the project would not be completed in time for the event. Despite being unable to take part in the Euro 2028 event, plans to rebuild the site are still on the table. The project has an estimated cost of £250m, just under half of which is already in place, with the Irish government pledging around £43m, the Northern Ireland Executive committing to £62.5m and the GAA lined up to provide £15m. The British Government has yet to commit to a funding sum for the project, although Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to announce a comprehensive spending review next week which is expected to include the stadium development plans. Ms O'Neill met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn yesterday afternoon where they discussed the project. 'Casement Park must be built,' Ms O'Neill said following the meeting. 'We've just me with the Secretary of State and we have let them know in no uncertain terms, and have done at every turn, how important Casement Park is,' she explained. 'The British Government must find a way to honour its political commitment and put their money on the table and back a project that will bring enormous benefits to everybody.' Ms O'Neill explained the importance of the stadium to the people of Northern Ireland, claiming 'the GAA is something to be celebrated, it's something that really celebrates diversity, it's something that is really at the heart of our community'. She added: 'This is a flagship project for the Executive, there is a political commitment to make this happen and to deliver upon Casement Park and I want to work with all ministers around the Executive table, with both the British government, the Irish Government and the GAA. 'Lets get this done. Let's deliver on Casement Park.' SDLP Leader Claire Hanna believes the Northern Ireland Executive should also increase the funding commitment it has made to project. Ms Hanna claims the Executive's long-standing offer of £62.5m is out of step with the growth in its own budget in the years that have passed since the offer was first made. 'The idea that a £62.5m offer still stands, unchanged, despite a dramatically increased budget, simply doesn't add up,' she said. 'This isn't about whether the money exists—it's about whether there's the will to use it,' she added. 'Let's be clear: the delay in getting Casement Park built is unacceptable. If the Executive shows its commitment through real funding, it will strengthen the case for UK investment. "But both sides need to stop passing the buck.'
