REAL IRA DEFENCE PULLS OUT OF CASE
Real IRA defence pulls out of case
MULTI-MILLION pound court claim by families of the Omagh bomb victims is unlikely to be defended following yesterday's decision by lawyers to pull out of the case.
Frank O'Donoghue QC, who had been representing Michael McKevitt, a leader of the Real IRA which planted the bomb, applied in the High Court to "come off record", the legal term for terminating any connection with a client.
The lawyer told Mr Justice Morgan, who has taken charge of the S14 million case, that McKevitt was without means and had been refused legal aid.
"There is no way in which the defence of this case can be funded," Mr O'Donoghue said.
The judge granted the application.
Lawyers, for four other men named as defendants in the case had earlier ended their representation.
A legal source said the only possibility of any of them being legally represented was if the judge decided that an issue which might arise would require lawyers to ensure a fair hearing.
Last month McKevitt (54), from Blackrock, Co Louth, lost a judicial review challenging the refusal of legal aid of SI million.
He was jailed for 20 years in Dublin last year for membership of the RIRA which carried out the 1998 bombing.
MULTI-MILLION pound court claim by families of the Omagh bomb victims is unlikely to be defended following yesterday's decision by lawyers to pull out of the case.
Frank O'Donoghue QC, who had been representing Michael McKevitt, a leader of the Real IRA which planted the bomb, applied in the High Court to "come off record", the legal term for terminating any connection with a client.
The lawyer told Mr Justice Morgan, who has taken charge of the S14 million case, that McKevitt was without means and had been refused legal aid.
"There is no way in which the defence of this case can be funded," Mr O'Donoghue said.
The judge granted the application.
Lawyers, for four other men named as defendants in the case had earlier ended their representation.
A legal source said the only possibility of any of them being legally represented was if the judge decided that an issue which might arise would require lawyers to ensure a fair hearing.
Last month McKevitt (54), from Blackrock, Co Louth, lost a judicial review challenging the refusal of legal aid of SI million.
He was jailed for 20 years in Dublin last year for membership of the RIRA which carried out the 1998 bombing.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0715
Published Date: 10-Dec-04
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