PRESS RELEASE
HARTE COYLE COLLINS SOLICITORS & ADVOCATES
INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF MR PATRICK DUFFY ON 24TH NOVEMBER 1978 AT 2 MAUREEN AVENUE, DERRY
ISSUED ON 28TH SEPTEMBER 2022
The Coroner presiding over the fresh inquest into the death of Mr Patrick Duffy on the 24th of November 1978 at Maureen Avenue, Derry has listed the case for a Preliminary Hearing of the inquest on the 5th of October 2022 at 1pm.
The fresh inquest into the killing of Mr Duffy in 1978 is one of 10 inquests which have been earmarked for hearing in 2023. The next of kin hope that a date for the substantive opening of the inquest can be fixed as soon as possible.
The fresh inquest was directed by the Attorney General for NI, Mr John Larkin QC, on 22nd March 2019. In directing the inquest the Attorney General stated that there was “no objective justification” for the killing of Mr Duffy.
Mr Duffy was shot up to 14 times in his back and side at 2 Maureen Avenue, Derry by an undercover army unit on the 24th of November 1978. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting and posed no threat to the soldiers. A unit of 2 undercover soldiers had been secreted in the upstairs and attic area of the house at 2 Maureen Avenue before the killing. The soldiers were dressed in civilian clothes. The family of Mr Duffy believe that the undercover army unit were SAS members. The army unit was immediately removed by other military from the house in Maureen Avenue after the shooting.
Martina Duffy, daughter of Mr Patrick Duffy and family representative, said today;
“We are delighted that the Coroner has agreed to list the fresh inquest into our father’s death for a Preliminary Hearing next week on the 5th of October 2022. We have asked the Coroner to consider opening the inquest as soon as possible. We look forward to having the circumstances of our father’s brutal killing scrutinised by the Coroner’s Court.”
Lawyer for the family, Patricia Coyle of Harte Coyle Collins, Solicitors & Advocates, said today;
“ We have recently provided the Coroner with a copy of an expert engineer report on the layout of 2 Maureen Avenue commissioned by our clients in 2003. They have campaigned long and hard for this fresh inquest. We also confirmed to the Court that our clients, the 4 surviving children of Mr Duffy, are available and willing to provide statements of evidence as soon as possible to assist the inquest. We therefore welcome the decision of the Coroner to fix this inquest for a Preliminary Hearing on the 5th of October 2022 and look forward to receiving a date for the substantive opening of the inquest as soon as possible.”
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