PHONE RECORDS ADMITTED IN OMAGH CIVIL CASE
Phone records admitted in Omagh civil case
BY RONAN McSHERRY
r.mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
THE District Court judge sitting in Dublin on the Omagh bomb civil case has ruled that mobile phone records of one of the men republicans being sued by the families can be accepted as evidence. The civil action now in its 14th week heard that although calls to and from the phone of convicted Real IRA member Colm Murphy would be examined, their contents could not be revealed.
Six families of those killed in the bombing in the town on August 15, 1998 have taken the multi-million pound case against the men they believe were responsible for the atrocity.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins lost their lives while hundreds more were injured. The dissident republicans being sued for the massacre are Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna deny liability. The families have sought recourse to a civil action as they believe no-one will ever be convicted in a criminal court of law.
The Omagh families are seeking punitive and exemplary damages in this court action.
The families claim Daly borrowed the mobile phone from Murphy on the day of the attack and Vodaphone papers contain details of the calls. Judge Conal Gibbons said there was no question of evidence being introduced relating to an interception of a private discussion in which Daly may have been participating. He said, "The evidence would appear to address issues of fact as to whether a specific phone was used or not in particular circumstances alleged by the plaintiffs."
However lawyers for Daly argued that producing the documents would breach his client's privacy and rights.
Judge Gibbons, who was hearing evidence in the presence of Justice Morgan who has presided over the case in the High Court in Belfast, also ruled that hearsay evidence given in Dublin should be excluded. There were no family members in court for the rulings.
The trial continues.
BY RONAN McSHERRY
r.mcsherry@ulsterherald.com
THE District Court judge sitting in Dublin on the Omagh bomb civil case has ruled that mobile phone records of one of the men republicans being sued by the families can be accepted as evidence. The civil action now in its 14th week heard that although calls to and from the phone of convicted Real IRA member Colm Murphy would be examined, their contents could not be revealed.
Six families of those killed in the bombing in the town on August 15, 1998 have taken the multi-million pound case against the men they believe were responsible for the atrocity.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins lost their lives while hundreds more were injured. The dissident republicans being sued for the massacre are Colm Murphy, Liam Campbell, Seamus Daly and Seamus McKenna deny liability. The families have sought recourse to a civil action as they believe no-one will ever be convicted in a criminal court of law.
The Omagh families are seeking punitive and exemplary damages in this court action.
The families claim Daly borrowed the mobile phone from Murphy on the day of the attack and Vodaphone papers contain details of the calls. Judge Conal Gibbons said there was no question of evidence being introduced relating to an interception of a private discussion in which Daly may have been participating. He said, "The evidence would appear to address issues of fact as to whether a specific phone was used or not in particular circumstances alleged by the plaintiffs."
However lawyers for Daly argued that producing the documents would breach his client's privacy and rights.
Judge Gibbons, who was hearing evidence in the presence of Justice Morgan who has presided over the case in the High Court in Belfast, also ruled that hearsay evidence given in Dublin should be excluded. There were no family members in court for the rulings.
The trial continues.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1965
Published Date: 02-Oct-08
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