PRESS RELEASE
INQUEST VERDICT INTO THE DEATH OF MASTER PATRICK CRAWFORD (15) KILLED ON 10TH AUGUST 1975 AT RVH
ISSUED BY HARTE COYLE COLLINS, SOLICITORS & ADVOCATES
16TH DECEMBER 2024
The inquest verdict into the death of schoolboy Patrick Crawford (15) shot dead in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital on the 10th of August 1975 was delivered by Coroner Gilpin today at Laganside Courthouse.
The inquest started on 11th of March 2022 at Armagh Courthouse and resumed in March 2024 with evidence continuing up to the cut off date under the Legacy Act 2023 of 30th April 2024.
The 15 year old was killed by a single shot to his chest while walking through the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital on the evening of 10th August 1975 at approximately 9.40pm.
Two women, who were walking with him at the time of the fatal shooting, gave evidence at the original inquest in December 1979 that the 15 year old was unarmed and had asked to accompany them from the Grosvenor Road to the Falls Road through the grounds of the Royal because he was afraid.
The family of Patrick Crawford have always believed that he was shot dead by the British army in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital with a high velocity shot.
The Coroner today found that Master Patrick Crawford was, on the balance of probabilities, shot dead by an unidentified member of the British army with a high velocity bullet from the roof of the maternity building inside the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital on the 10th of August 1975.
The Coroner also concluded that Master Crawford was an innocent 15 year old schoolboy who was not involved with paramilitaries or paramilitary activities and posed no threat.
He concluded that the British army were in almost complete control of the RVH buildings and grounds at the time and that up to 9 soldiers were in the vicinity at the time of the fatal shooting.
He confirmed that 2 of these soldiers had provided statements of evidence but were now deceased but that the other 7 soldiers, who were part of an 8 man foot patrol in the area, had never been identified by the Ministry of Defence.
He further concluded that the original police and Royal Military Police investigations had failed to collate and secure critical evidence and the Coroner referred to the prosecution of a civilian, based on an alleged statement of admission, which was stopped by the DPP because of contradictions in the ballistic evidence.
Maggie Crawford, sister of Patrick, on behalf of the Crawford siblings who were in attendance to hear the verdict said today;
“We welcome the Coroner’s findings in relation to the fatal shooting of our brother Patrick today. Our father died in 2006 without the benefit of knowing the truth about what happened to his son. We always believed that our Paddy was shot by a member of the British army for no reason. He was afraid and nervous when he asked if he could walk with 2 women through the grounds of the Royal to get home. The Coroner has agreed with our view today. We cannot tell you how much this means to our family. We have been fighting for justice and information for 49 years. We finally have it. The family would like to thank the Coroner, the Coroner’s staff and our legal team for the efforts devoted to getting to the truth. We finally have justice for Paddy.”
Patricia Coyle, solicitor for the Crawford family said today;
“This is a very significant verdict. This is the first legacy inquest decision since the guillotine date on legacy inquests of 30th April 2024 under the Legacy Act. This verdict goes to the core issue of the need for independent, judicial, and public inquests into contested killings in Northern ireland where they involve the state. The requirement for meticulous and scrupulous judicial examination of forensic, ballistic and eye witness evidence in such cases is critical. The public mechanism of the inquests is essential to the correction of the public record. That was particularly so in this case. The value of the process to the next of kin is limitless and cannot be understated. The family of Master Patrick Crawford thank the Coroner for the comprehensive verdict today which supports their long held belief that their young brother was killed by the British army.”
Patricia Coyle on 02890-278227, e mail info@harteccoylecollins.com
