PPS – Slugger O'Toole

Bryson and McKay in the dock over Nama corruption allegations made to the Assembly

Brian Walker on June 22, 2019, 12:32 pm | Readers 1591

Photo Mal McCann No comment is necessary or indeed permitted apart from this from Allison Morris, the Irish News reporter with the exclusive.. The PPS warns: As court proceedings will shortly commence, the PPS would ask that there is no reporting, commentary or sharing of information on-line which would in any way prejudice these proceedings”. “A trial directly related to politics couldn’t have came at a worse time for both the DUP and Sinn Féin. In a place where one …

Mairia Cahill honoured with James Larkin award

The Firemen on February 28, 2015, 8:20 pm | Readers 2439

UPDATED – WITH VIDEO Mairia Cahill was last night presented with the ‘Larkin Thirst for Justice Award’ at the Labour Party’s National Conference in Killarney. The award, named after the trade union leader and founder member of the Labour Party James Larkin, is awarded to a person who, in their personal and/or professional life has made an outstanding contribution in the area of human rights and justice. Speaking at the INEC in Killarney minutes before Joan Burton’s keynote address Ms. …

DPP: it could be “many many months” before a decision is made on whether or not Gerry Adams will be prosecuted…

Pete Baker on May 10, 2014, 7:06 pm | Readers 356

As Newton Emerson notes in today’s Irish News – on some of the coverage of the arrest and questioning of Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, in relation to the abduction, murder, and secret burial of Jean McConville in 1972. Mystery surrounds BBC claims that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) would not be bringing charges against Gerry Adams. The BBC began reporting this on early Monday evening, barely 24 hours after Adams had been released pending a file to the Public Prosecution …

Matt Baggott: “Under the Patten architecture, to which all political parties have signed up…”

Pete Baker on May 6, 2014, 5:39 pm | Readers 95

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott has rejected Sinn Fein’s claims of “political policing” in the arrest and questioning of party president Gerry Adams. And in doing so he highlights an inconvenient truth for the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister. From the BBC report In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Baggott said the accusation of a “dark side” within the PSNI was one he refuted. “Under the Patten architecture, to which all political parties have signed up, there are numerous ways …

After “closure,” the reopening of Bloody Sunday for at least four more years

Brian Walker on December 20, 2012, 9:29 pm | Readers 76

In a statement, police said that for the investigation to be as “comprehensive and effective” as possible, they would be asking witnesses who gave evidence to the Saville inquiry to make statements to detectives. “This is because police are precluded from using Saville testimony in a criminal investigation. Details on how this process will be facilitated will be made available in the near future,” the statement said Press Release from Madden & Finucane Solicitors regarding Bloody Sunday Inquiry Report …

“the First Minister, deputy First Minister, Attorney General and I have therefore agreed…”

Pete Baker on June 1, 2011, 3:31 pm | Readers 32

The Northern Ireland Attorney General, John Larkin, has been complaining about his lack of powers of supervision over the Public Prosecution Service since he was appointed in May 2010. It was, he said at the time, “something that should be urgently looked at”. The NI Justice Minister, David Ford, responded on 7 June 2010 that he intended “to start discussions with the First Minister and deputy First Minister on whether the relationship the law sets down between the new Attorney General and …

PPS not to prosecute Iris Robinson

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 11, 2011, 6:31 pm | Readers 56

The DUP, and the Robinson family in particular, are slowly closing the book of horrors that opened up last January. Numerous investigations were kicked off after the (multi-award winning) Spotlight programme aired in January 2010. The Belfast Telegraph neatly summarises the programme’s findings: The BBC probe revealed how Mrs Robinson, who was then an MP, MLA and a member of Castlereagh Borough Council, obtained two £25,000 contributions from property businessmen. That money was then paid to Mr McCambley, then aged …

Canning trial halted

Pete Baker on November 4, 2010, 5:24 pm | Readers 16

The BBC reports that Mr Justice McCloskey has halted the trial of Marvin Canning, the brother-in-law of Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, on charges relating to the abduction and assault of a businessman and his partner from their home in Mullingar, County Westmeath, in April 2007. The couple were later found in the High Park area of Creggan, Londonderry. The man had been shot in both ankles and subsequently lost the sight of his left eye. The body of a man who was …

“We are raising this case now with David Ford Justice Minister, Mr Chris Smith US Congress, the Irish Government, all interested non-governmental offices and civil liberties organisations, local political parties here and with the Court Service”

Pete Baker on October 20, 2010, 10:50 pm | Readers 51

Apologies for the length of the post title, but I wanted to make sure I had included everyone… A 25-year-old Queen’s University politics guaduate walked free from Belfast Crown Court today after the prosecution offered no evidence on charges relating to the fire-bombing of Toys R Us Boucher Road store on 1 November 2006. There had been a series of fire-bomb attacks at the time. Since then, the circumstances of those “micro-organisations” appear to have changed… As the UTV report reveals, it’s not necessarily the end of the …

The jury is out (for some)

Blank on June 17, 2010, 2:28 pm | Readers 5

With the publication of the Saville Report focus is now shifting to the possibility of prosecutions, some paratroopers are already under investigation by the Public Prosecutions Service over perjury at the inquiry but it is unknown if any criminal investigations and/or prosecutions will take place over events on the day. The DUP’s Peter Robinson has called for no prosecutions I think from a political point of view I have to say that I do not believe that there is anything …

Good riddance to Sir Alasdair…

Belfast Gonzo on June 11, 2010, 2:36 pm | Readers 135

AND so farewell to Sir Alasdair Fraser, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, who is to retire in September. Conveniently, this will mean that he won’t have to take any tough decisions over prosecutions after the Saville Report is published. Sir Alasdair has been criticised in the past for failing to account for his decisions and he never defined what the “public interest” was when that became his only way of making them. This satisfied neither unionist, nationalist …