TC/1897

Omagh bomb compensation case set for April - Judge

A JUDGE has warned that the multi-million pound Omagh bomb compensation case will go ahead next April, unless there are very convincing objections.
Mr. Justice Declan Morgan was responding to a claim by a lawyer in the High Court in Belfast that 'shenanigans' in the Republic of Ireland were delaying the trial beyond reason.
The judge said he was determined that the £14 million compensation case would start on April 7. If it did not proceed then, he said, it would be after the tenth anniversary of the incident in which 29 people, including unborn twins, were killed in the Real IRA atrocity.
Mr. Justice Morgan referred to Article 6 of the Human Rights Act, guaranteeing a fair trial, and said: "I simply don't see how leaving this case until after the tenth anniversary is not running a grave risk in relation to Article 6".
Brett Lockhart, QC for the relatives for the dead and injured, said he feared a continuance of moves by the defendants to further delay the hearing.
He said another factor was that judgment had still to be given in the trial of Sean Hoey, the only person charged with the 1998 bomb murders.
Mr. Justice Morgan interjected to say: "I am anticipating that may come relatively soon".
Mr. Lockhart said his clients wanted to see the case come on as soon as possible, but were being frustrated by 'spurious and specious' arguments.
He said the Court of Appeal had already stated that every possible objection was being taken to the proceedings, "not only here, but in the Republic of Ireland". He added: "There are all sorts of shenanigans going on down South in relation to delaying this trial."
The prospect of further delay was raised by defence counsel, Mary Higgins, QC, who said it was intended to make an abuse of process application, because of the delay in the hearing.
Mr. Justice Morgan said that on January 10, he would deal with submissions to adjourn the April 7 trial date, but emphasised: "The time has come to simply get on with it".
The case began in 2001, when writs were issued against alleged Real IRA leaders Michael McKevitt, Seamus Daly, Liam Campbell, Colm Murphy and Seamus McKenna, who have denied liability.