Patricia Coyle acting on behalf of the family of 20 year old John Ireland, who was killed in a road traffic collision 2 years ago in Belfast, has called for the PSNI and the PPS to obtain and review all existing and possible new forensic and medical evidence in the case and to reconsider whether…
On the 29th February 2016 the NI Court of Criminal Appeal quashed a conviction of one count of concealing criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 against our client Ms Heather Ramsey. The conviction was quashed as a result of tenacity on the part of the defence legal team in questioning the manner…
Harte Coyle Collins, Solicitors & Solicitor Advocates, act on behalf of Mr Peter Greer who was convicted with Jamie Smith of the murder of Duncan Morrison, the attempted murder of Stephen Ritchie and possession of firearms before a jury at Newtownards Crown Court sitting in Downpatrick in March 2013. Mr Greer was sentenced to a…
“Joint enterprise is one of those legal concepts that demonstrates the tangled relationship between common sense and the law. The common sense part is undeniable and very important: it is possible to have a culpable share in a crime that someone else actually performs. It hardly matters who actually killed Stephen Lawrence when all his…
The Troubles: Inquest judge accuses MoD of advising soldiers to apply for anonymity 19 January 2016 Image captionThe judge made his comments during the second day of a two-week review into 56 legacy cases A senior judge has accused the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of delaying court proceedings and inquests by routinely advising former soldiers…
Teenager ‘may have been shot dead by soldier in 1975’ A preliminary hearing was held in Belfast’s Laganside court A teenager shot outside a Belfast hospital over 40 years ago may have been killed by a soldier, a coroners’ court has heard. Patrick Crawford, 15, was hit while walking through the grounds of the Royal…
“A major review of inquests into some of the most controversial killings during the Troubles got under way on Monday. There are 56 cases involving 97 deaths. They include killings by police officers and soldiers, and others where there are allegations of state collusion. As the review got under way in Belfast, the time taken…
A BBC Spotlight programme broadcast on the 7th November 2015 highlighted the ongoing information war between the relatives of those shot by the military in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and the MOD. The family of Annette McGavigan, a 14 year old girl, shot dead by the military on the 6th of September 1971 at…
The Attorney General for Northern Ireland, Mr John Larkin Q.C., has granted a fresh inquest into the killing of 15 year old Patrick Crawford, who was shot in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital on the 10th August 1975. The Attorney General granted the fresh inquest in late September 2015 after receiving a request…
The family of Patrick Duffy, who was shot up to 14 times by members of the British military in Derry in November 1978, have today lodged an application for a fresh inquest into the killing with the Attorney General for Northern Ireland. Patrick Duffy was 50 years old when he was shot when inside 2…