Press

Press Notice 010

Further litigation in Re Officer L discontinued
9th August 2007

Following the House of Lords decision which approved the approach taken by the Inquiry in relation to applications for anonymity when giving evidence at the Inquiry hearings, the residual legal issue as to the rationality of the Panel's ruling was to be remitted to the High Court.

Subsequent discussions between the parties concerned have taken place and an agreement has been reached which has removed the need to go before the High Court on this matter. Nor will the rulings of the Inquiry panel in the cases of those who did not seek judicial review be subject to challenge.

Recent press coverage has suggested that there may be a delay in the Inquiry hearings as a result of further litigation on the issue of anonymity. All parties are now pleased that this possibility has been removed and the oral hearings can progress at the earliest opportunity.

 

Notes for Editors

  1. The Panel
    The Chairman of the Inquiry is Sir Edwin Jowitt, a retired Justice for the High Court, Queen’s Bench Division. The other panel members are Sir John Evans (former President of the Association of Chief Police Officers and retired Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary) and Reverend Baroness Richardson of Calow (Moderator of he Churches’ Commission for Inter Faith Relations).

  2. The Inquiry
    On the 16 November 2004 the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy, announced the terms of reference for the inquiry into the death of Robert Hamill following an incident in Portadown, County Armagh on 27 April 1997.

  3. Terms of Reference
    The Terms of Reference are:

    “To inquire into the death of Robert Hamill with a view to determining whether any wrongful act or omission by or within the Royal Ulster Constabulary facilitated his death or obstructed the investigation of it, or whether attempts were made to do so; whether any such act or omission was intentional or negligent; whether the investigation of his death was carried out with due diligence; and to make recommendations.”

  4. Further information

    Further information is available at the Inquiry’s website at www.roberthamillinquiry.org

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