Latest news with #Bellaghy
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Sean Brown witness speaks about suspect sighting for first time
An eyewitness in the Sean Brown case said he was "baffled" that a female suspect he picked out of an identity parade shortly after the murder was released without Brown, 61, was abducted by the Loyalist Volunteer Force at a GAA club in Bellaghy, County Londonderry, and shot dead near Randalstown, County Antrim, in eyewitness, who is speaking publicly for the first time, saw the woman with two men in a car at the club the night before the murder in what is suspected to have been a scouting Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the Brown family had too many unanswered questions and those questions were "valid". In 2024 a court heard more than 25 people, including state agents, had been linked by intelligence to Mr Brown's information the eyewitness provided about the woman and the car, a white Vauxhall Nova, was central to a fresh PSNI probe and BBC Crimewatch appeal in BBC is calling the witness John to disguise his identity because of his fear of told Spotlight what happened the night before the murder of Mr Brown, who was chairman of the Bellaghy club."I was the last one going out. Sean was still there to lock up," he said."I just thought it was just someone turning at the front of the club."The lady that was driving the car stared me straight in the face."There was two men and they were hiding their faces." John told the Spotlight programme, Murder Without Answers, that he took his information to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) shortly after Mr Brown's helped compile a photofit and was then brought to Belfast to an identity parade."I picked her out right away. I seen the same face right away," he said."The woman constable was standing beside me, and she says, yes we have her."John said that after the identity parade he was shocked when the woman he picked out and other suspects were released."I went home and kept listening to the radio, watching TV and a couple of days later these people were let out without charge," he said."It left me baffled. I'm still thinking – why?"A Police Ombudsman examination of the case in 2004 found the original RUC investigation was "incomplete and inadequate".It has since emerged some intelligence information was not provided to the ombudsman at the time. No-one has ever been charged over Mr Brown's murder and it is now known that intelligence was withheld from detectives in both the original RUC probe and the re-investigation by the a statement to Spotlight, the PSNI said Mr Brown was a "pillar of the community" and his family had a right to know what added that it had previously apologised to the Brown family for failings in the RUC investigation and was sorry for what was discovered during new Brown's daughter Clare Loughran told Spotlight that receiving information about state agents last year confirmed her family's suspicions."I felt physically sick," she said."The wave of emotion was incredible. It was very, very difficult to hear." Her sister Siobhán Brown said it prompted further questions:"You'd wonder why first of all, how long has this been planned for. What or who was involved?" she said."Who gave the order from on high to say Sean Brown has to be taken out?"The Brown family have long campaigned for a public inquiry into the government has appealed a court ruling that found it should hold a public inquiry, arguing it was not an issue which the courts should also believes the implications of the court ruling would go beyond the Brown Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said he expressed his deepest sympathy to the Brown family for the many years they have waited for said he intended to ensure the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), established under the Legacy Act, would be able to carry out an investigation comparable to a public some victims' families say the ICRIR does not have the powers to investigate such ICRIR told Spotlight that proposed legislative reforms could result in it being able to have human rights compliant hearings led by an independent judge.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Warning of mass exodus of Northern Ireland GPs to private sector
A GP who wrote a scathing letter to Northern Ireland's health minister accusing him of "complete disrespect" for general practice has said those working in the sector are at their "wits' end".Dr John Diamond, who has served his community in Magherafelt for 25 years, says GPs are angry about chronic underfunding and unsafe his letter to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, he warned of an exodus from the NHS to private Department of Health said the minister "remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice so that it can remain a central part of primary care services now and in the future". Two weeks ago Nesbitt imposed a disputed funding package that was overwhelmingly rejected by said a package of £9.5m additional funding was offered to GPs and said he was "disappointed" the BMA negotiators recommended to their members that they reject the offer.A total of 99.6% of GPs who took part in the referendum voted to reject the Diamond, who is based at Garden Street Surgery in Magherafelt and Bellaghy Medical Centre, said "when general practice goes, the NHS goes"."There are now three tiers of patients in Northern Ireland: the people who have plenty of money who can afford to pay, the people who have insurance and everybody else. "Most people fit into the everybody else category."Every day in life I am saying to people I will send them off and they will be seen in six, seven, eight years, in some cases, and sometimes never."I know I will be looking after them for years on end while they never get their treatment."I appreciate that waiting lists are a problem, but they are a symptom of a system of a failing system."He said decisions "that haven't been made properly by our politicians" are to blame. GP taking 4,000 phone calls a week Dr Diamond said GPs do more than 90% of all consultations on the NHS. "Up to two years ago, it was 5.4% of the budget, it's probably less than 5% of the budget [now]."He added: "I would argue that if you compare the funding that we get in our region compared to others in these islands, we are very much the poor relation by a long way."Most developed countries would say you should be spending at least 10% of your budget within general practice within primary care and we are far, far from that."Dr Diamond said there are between 3,500 and 4,000 phone calls to and from his surgery on an average week, before they even see a doctor said he is in the latter years of his career within general practice and had envisaged he would see it out in the NHS."But the youngsters coming through are not accepting that," he said. "They don't want 20 years of a constant battle to get anything done. They want a system that works better for them and better for their patients."For sure, they are plotting what we can do next."He said he would like the minister to "sit down properly with our representatives and have a discussion about the needs that general practice has and respect those needs rather than just dismiss us". 'Matter of regret' In a statement, the department said it was "a matter of regret" it had not been able to reach agreement in relation to the 2025/26 GMS (General Medical Services) contract. It said the minister stated on 19 May that "he remains open to discussion as to how best to secure the future of general practice."The £9.5m associated with the 2025/26 GMS contract represents additional investment in core GP services, with no 'strings' attached in terms of additional workload, or no requirement for additional patient consultations," it said."Total investment in GP services this year will be more than £414m. "Given the extreme budgetary challenges facing the department, however, the minister has made clear to the BMA that the £9.5m contract offer, which will provide support directly to GP practices in Northern Ireland, was the best and final offer for 2025/26."It added: "The department and minister remain committed to the principle that GP services should remain free to all patients at the point of access and do not agree that the privatisation is the way forward for GPs."
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
The GAA Social with the family of Sean Brown
On this week's GAA Social podcast, Thomas and Oisin are joined by the family of Sean Brown, a father of six, was abducted and shot dead by members of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked gates at Bellaghy GAA club in was 61 years old when he family have sought to have a public inquiry heard into his murder and earlier in May, the Court of Appeal affirmed a previous court ruling, compelling the UK government to hold a public inquiry into his government said it intends to seek a Supreme Court appeal over the wife Bridie and daughter Clare talk about Sean's life and legacy on the GAA Social and you can listen on BBC Sounds right here.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
The GAA Social The life & legacy of Sean Brown. Explained by his daughter Clare and 87-year-old wife Bridie.
In 1997, less than a year before the Good Friday Agreement, Sean Brown was locking the gates of Bellaghy GAA club. He was abducted and killed by loyalists, his body dumped beside his burnt out Ford Sierra. 28 years later, the Brown family continue to search for answers. Bridie Brown lost her husband, she also lost her son Damian. The entire Brown family were flanked by 10,000 people in the Co Derry village recently, and their search for 'what' and 'why' continues. But who was Sean Brown? What was he like? Why was he so important to the broad Bellaghy community, a friend of Seamus Heaney and how has the family moved on? This podcast talks to his daughter Clare and his wife Bridie. It is, a powerful listen.
BreakingNews.ie
19-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Public inquiry only current way to deliver truth to Sean Brown's family
A public inquiry is currently the only way to deliver a human rights-compliant investigation into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown, the Tánaiste has insisted. Simon Harris reiterated his support for the Brown family on a visit to Belfast on Monday. Advertisement Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has applied for a Supreme Court appeal on judicial rulings in Belfast that compel him to establish a public inquiry into the 1997 murder by loyalist paramilitaries. People in the town of Bellaghy, Co Derry, which came to a standstill on Friday night as they took part in a march in support of the family of Sean Brown (Rebecca Black/PA) Mr Brown, 61, the then chairman of Wolfe Tones GAA Club in the Co Derry town of Bellaghy, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered 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. Advertisement 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. This year Appeal Court judges in Belfast affirmed an earlier NI High Court ruling compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. However, Mr Benn is attempting to take the case onward for further appeal at the Supreme Court, insisting the case involves a key constitutional principle of who should order public inquiries, the Government or the judiciary. Mr Harris met with members of the Brown family, including Mr Brown's 87-year-old widow Bridie, in Dublin last week. Advertisement After meeting with political leaders at Stormont to discuss legacy issues, the Tánaiste made clear he supported the family's call for a public inquiry. 'That's been the long-established position of the Irish government, and it remains the position of the Irish government,' he said. 'I want the Brown family to have a mechanism that has never been provided to them, which has to be Article Two (of the European Convention on Human Rights) compliant in terms of human rights and international law. 'I met the Brown family last week, and I was really, really taken by the huge level of pain and suffering, and the lack of answers that they are going on, that is continuing to this very day. Advertisement 'A public inquiry is currently the only mechanism for it that is Article Two compliant.' Asked about the potential Supreme Court appeal, Mr Harris added: 'My view in relation to the killing of Sean Brown is very clear. People in the town of Bellaghy, Co Derry, during a march in support of the family of Sean Brown (Rebecca Black/PA) 'I want the family to have truth and justice that has been denied to them to date, and I want them to have it in a way that is Article Two compliant. 'I supported their calls for an inquiry. Advertisement 'I don't want to comment on any ongoing legal processes out of respect to the different roles that I and the British Government have, but I very much support the Brown family.' Bellaghy came to a standstill on Friday evening as thousands of people showed their support for the Brown family's call for a public inquiry. People travelled from across the island of Ireland, including as far away as Co Kerry, to take part in a Walk For Truth event from St Mary's Church through the town to the home of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones club. Those in attendance included First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, SDLP MLAs Patsy McGlone and Justin McNulty 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.
