Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris has been accused of “an unprecedented political intervention” as it emerged he has written to chief constable Jon Boutcher questioning his actions.
Dramatic details came to light during an inquest hearing liked to the LVF murder of Fergal McCusker (28) in Maghera, Co Derry, as he made his way home from a night out on January 18, 1998.
No-one has ever been charged with the Catholic man’s murder, although four men were arrested and later released.
Mr McCusker’s family believe there was collusion involved.
Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Barra McGrory KC, acting for the McCusker family, raised serious concerns after the Secretary of State recent intervention in the inquest, which opened last year.
During Tuesday’s hearing in Belfast, coroner Paddy McGurgan, heard how Mr Heaton-Harris referred to comments made by Mr Boutcher about a High Court case linked to another legacy inquest as “unwelcome”, while details of Mr Boutcher’s “robust” response were also revealed.
Mr McCusker’s callous killing came months after the LVF gunned down prominent GAA member Sean Brown in nearby Bellaghy in May 1997.
Dramatic details came to light during an inquest hearing liked to the LVF murder of Fergal McCusker (28) in Maghera, Co Derry, as he made his way home from a night out on January 18, 1998.
No-one has ever been charged with the Catholic man’s murder, although four men were arrested and later released.
Mr McCusker’s family believe there was collusion involved.
Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Barra McGrory KC, acting for the McCusker family, raised serious concerns after the Secretary of State recent intervention in the inquest, which opened last year.
During Tuesday’s hearing in Belfast, coroner Paddy McGurgan, heard how Mr Heaton-Harris referred to comments made by Mr Boutcher about a High Court case linked to another legacy inquest as “unwelcome”, while details of Mr Boutcher’s “robust” response were also revealed.
Mr McCusker’s callous killing came months after the LVF gunned down prominent GAA member Sean Brown in nearby Bellaghy in May 1997.
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Barra McGrory's concerns that the outcome of his client's case could be undermined by concealing crucial evidence are professionally well founded --whereas in the mid-Ulster series of murder cases (132 murders) 2 CMPs have been issued to prevent all of the Families from seeing crucial evidence and I am at a loss as to why lawyers in those cases do not share the same concerns as Barra McGrory?
ReplyDeleteAnyone concerned about State Collusion in murder ought to consider Barra McGrory's concerns with what is happening in the mid_Ulster cases -- I highlighted the problems here: https://www.thepensivequill.com/2024/03/is-withholding-of-crucial-evidence-in.html