NO JUSTICE FOR MARTIN COREY

No justice for Martin Corey

Barry Kearney

Martin Corey is a 63 year-old-man imprisoned in the north of Ireland.

Martin Corey.

On April 16, 2010, Martin’s house in Lurgan was visited by members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Martin was arrested.

When he queried what the charges were, Martin was told that the police officers “did not know”. And that all they were told was to arrest Martin.

Martin Corey is a Republican who, in his youth fought against the foreign occupation of his native land. It was during this struggle for freedom that Martin Corey was charged with the murder of two members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), the forerunner of the PSNI. Martin was found guilty of the charge and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 1973.

Martin served just short of the next 19 years behind bars; he was released in June 1992.

Martin Corey did not sign any documents imposing conditions on his release.

Martin returned to Lurgan, where he set up a successful business as the local grave digger, formed a long-term relationship and settled down to a peaceful life. That was until his arrest in 2010. Martin Corey is still in prison and he still does not know what the charges against him are. Martin’s legal team also do not know what the charges are and neither does any judge hearing the case against Martin, because according to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), he is being held on “Undisclosed or Secret Charges”. A special advocate, appointed by the NIO, can view the evidence and tell the judge what they can do. This makes a mockery of the judicial system when a politician, unelected in the North of Ireland, can make the rules regarding a person’s freedom. Martin Corey is selectively interned by an unjust British system.

Martin Corey is entitled as a life sentence prisoner to a parole hearing every 12 months; this is continually adjourned or not even scheduled. And the conditions that Martin is being kept under are a disgrace. Mail being kept from him for weeks at a time, prison craft that he has made, smashed by vindictive prison officers, as well as being denied proper medical or dental treatment in a reasonable time.

In May 2012, Martin appealed his imprisonment based on the fact he had not been charged with any crime nor had he been brought before a judge. Justice Treacey heard the appeal and in his verdict stated that Martin’s human rights had been breached and ordered Martin Corey be released immediately and placed no conditions on the release.

Martin returned to Maghaberry Prison to pack his belongings, his family travelled from Lurgan to pick him up and to take him home. It was whilst Martin was waiting in the prison reception that prison officers informed him that the Secretary of State had ordered him returned to the cells. The NIO had appealed Justice Treacey’s decision, but only after the Justice had boarded a plane and was about to leave the country, otherwise Justice Treacey would have had to hear any appeals. With Treacey out of the way a patsy of the British NIO upheld their appeal and hence Martin was returned to the cells.

When Martin’s legal team found out they immediately launched legal action against the appeal by the NIO, but to no avail. Martin finally got to appeal the decision in the High Court on July 11, more than six weeks after the decision by Justice Treacey, and that appeal the NIO overturned in hours.

The Lord Chief Justice upheld the ruling and stated that Martin’s case should be reheard on November 26, 2012. At the rehearing a panel of three appeals judges upheld the decision of the NIO to keep Martin incarcerated.

Martin’s legal team then applied to the High Court for permission to take their case before the Supreme Court in London. Martin’s legal team were very confident of winning in the Supreme Court, but in early May 2013, their euphoria was short lived as the appeal was denied without any valid reason being given. If you look beyond this denial, you will see British intransigence at its best.

By denying Martin the right to appeal to the Supreme Court, they have effectively blocked his application to the European Court of Human Rights, as he has not exhausted all domestic avenues. British politicians are very quick to point the finger in regards to human rights abuses around the world, but even quicker to put the blinkers on when it is occurring in their own backyard and perpetrated by their own people.

The Good Friday Agreement promised Equality, Justice and Human Rights for all. This obviously does not include Republicans who do not agree with the way the peace is being portrayed or do not agree with the ruling parties. Martin Corey is but one of these people who are suffering from a great injustice at the hands of a vindictive British government.

Martin Corey is an innocent man; he is innocent of any wrong doing. If the authorities believe that Martin is guilty of a crime, then the law of the land must prevail, charge him and bring him before a court of law, where he has the right to defend himself, not having to fight an invisible foe in the guise of undisclosed charges.

No Charges! No Evidence! Not Guilty!

Release Martin Corey.

Posted on behalf of : James Connolly Association Australia, Melbourne.

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LIES, DAMN LIES AND STATISTICS

This week saw a local member of the 32csm before the courts following a mobile RUC patrol arresting him on a fabricated charge of using his phone whilst driving.

The arrested man who runs a local business appeared in court vehemently denying the charge, with the judge stating that he would not get a fair trial without his phone records being seen, either proving or disproving the charge.

Following the retrieval of the phone records which proved that the phone had not indeed been in use, the RUC changed their testimony to state that they never said he was on the phone but that he had it in his hand and was looking at it.

The Judge immediately accepted their change in the statement stating that he could have been looking at facebook or searching for a number and quickly fined the defendant £400 endorsing his license with 3 points.

This is your promised new (IN)justice system in operation. Perjured and falsified evidence goes before the courts and is accepted without question. Sectarian Apartheid Injustice in action and will only get worse and more prevalent before it gets better.

Lies,damn lies and statistics

Posted on behalf of : Derry Sceal

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MARTIN COREY DETENTION TO BE CHALLENGED IN EUROPEAN COURT

Martin Corey detention to be challenged in European court

By Vincent Kearney

BBC NI home affairs correspondent

Lawyers are to challenge the detention of an Irish republican from Lurgan, County Armagh, in the European court.

Martin Corey, 63, has been in prison for just over three years without trial or charges being brought against him.

He was sentenced to life in prison in 1973 for the IRA murders of two RUC

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OFFICERS TO GIVE EVIDENCE ON PSNI/RUC ‘BID TO SABOTAGE APPEAL’ !

‘It’s our case  that police have manipulated and subverted the appeal process - Barry Macdonald QC.

POLICE decision-making and arresting officers are to give evidence about an alleged attempt to sabotage appeals by two men jailed for murdering  Constable Stephen Carroll, a court has heard. Amid repeated claims that the PSNI/RUC tried to stymie the legal process by detaining a new witness, senior judges were told covert surveillance recordings were also to be examined.

Details emerged as an unprecedented bid to secure independent oversight of the ongoing police investigation was put back until October. Interference  has been alleged by lawyers for John Paul Wotton and Brendan McConville, both of whom are seeking to overturn their murder convictions. Constable Carroll was ambushed and shot dead as he responded to a 999 call at Lismore Manor, Craigavon on March 2009. McConville (41), of Glenholme Avenue in the town, is serving at least a 25-year sentence for the killing. Wotton (22), of Collindale, Lurgan, received a minimum 14-year term. Days before their joint appeal was to get under way last month, a man related to a key prosecution witness was arrested and held for two days before being released without charge. This man has made a sworn court statement branding his relative a compulsive liar.

According to defence lawyers police arrested him in a bid to pressure him into withdrawing his evidence and told him he would be discredited if he testified.The lawyers want the Court of Appeal to direct independent oversight of this aspect of the investigation. One option would be for the Criminal Cases Review Commission to intervene. A separate request has been made to the police oombudsman to look into allegations of misconduct. In court yesterday Barry Macdonald QC, for McConville, said : “It’s our case that police have manipulated and subverted the appeal process.” Questions to be decided in the defence application include :

• Was  the surveillance operation properly authorised under laws governing the use of covert techniques?
• Was the arrest of the new witness lawful and necessary?
• Was there any attempt to presuade or coerce him to alter his evidence?
• Has there been any police manipulation of the process?
• If so, what are the consequences?

Mr Macdonald said he intended to call the new wwitness and at least one solicitor to testify. Ciaran Murphy QC, for the Public Prosecution Service, told the court that all police officers who had either decided to make the arrest or carried it out would be expected to give evidence. All interviews and recordings should be gone through as well, in a process that could take days, he suggested. Mr Murphy said he was satisfied proper authorisation was obtained in relation to the covert material. “If there is action by the police either inappropriate or unlawful, past or future, there is a clear remedy open to the defendants,” he said. However, Mr Macdonald expressed concern that the application would not be heard until October, when the appeal itself is scheduled to begin. “In the absence of any measures to provide independent oversight of this investigation the court itself will have exposed itself to possible liability for breach of article 6 [ right to a fair trial ],” the lawyer said. The case was adjourned for a further review next month.

With many thanks to : Irish News.

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RELEASE MARTIN COREY – END BRITISH INTERNMENT NOW

ACCUSED REFUSES TO ENTER DOCK

Police say girl was sexually assaulted

A BAIL hearing of a man charged with abducting and sexually assaulting a 7-year-old child was held in his absence yesterday after he refused to enter the dock. David Paige (42) gave his address as a hostel in Belfast, but he has been living in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

He was restrained by prison officers as he tried to turn away from the dock at Craigavon Magistrates Court. He has also been charged with breaching a sexual prevention order. The charges relate to an incident in Albert Street, Lurgan, on Tuesday. The district judge later agreed to hear the bail application in Paige’s absence. A detective constable alleged Peige had intercepted a girl as she was walking home from a friends house on Tuesday and persuaded her to enter his house at Albert Avenue and then sexually assulted her. The court heard the girl told the accused she wanted to leave but claimed that Paige got “very angry” and told her that if she said to he mother and father what had happened she would never be allowed back into his house. The court heard the girl told her father who in turn contacted police. The detective said that the windows of Paige’s home were smashed the same evening and he was taken away by police for his own safety. He was later arrested. Paige is already the subject of a sexual prevention order that forbids him having contact with children. He was refused bail and is to appear again via video link next month.

Meanwhile a 25-year-old man has appeared in court in Banbridge charged with a number of sexual offences against children, including rape. Andrew Trevor Williamson, from Dromore Street, Banbridge, was chargec with two counts of raping a girl who was under the age of 16.

He faces seven charges in total, including sexual activity with another girl under 16, grooming and trafficing within the UK for sexual exploitation. Armagh Magistrates Court was told that all the alleged offences took place in locations in Co Down and Co Armagh between June 2012 and January 2013. He was remanded in custody to appear via video link at Newry Magistrates Court on May 23.

79-year-old due in court

A 79-year-old man is due to appear before Downpatrik Magistrates Court on June 6 charged with a total of 21 offences, including seven counts of indecent assault and gross indecency. He is also charged with seven counts of cruelty and seven of assault occaisoning actual bodily harm. The charges relate to historical offences that occurred in the Downpatrick and greater Belfast areas between 1966 and the present and are understood to involve a number of people.

With many thanks to : Irish News.

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MEN JAILED FOR CARROLL KILLING GET DATE FOR LEGAL CHALLENGE

‘ Last week judges were told police have tried to sabotage appeals being mounted by John Paul Wootton and Brendan McConville.

AN unprecedented legal bid for independent oversight of PSNI/RUC inquiries surrounding the murder of Constable Stephen Carroll will take place next week.

Lawyers for the two men attempting to overturn their convictions for the killing are seeking an order for the Criminal Cases Review Commission to examine the arrest of a new witness in the case. They are also making a separate application to the Police Ombudsman to look into allegations of misconduct in the operation. Last week judges were told police have tried to sabotage appeals being mounted by John Paul Wootton and Brendan McConville. Defence counsel made thehclaim as their joint challenge to being found guilty of the murder was put back until October 7th amid uncertainty over potential fresh evidence. Constable Carroll was ambushed and shot dead as he responded to a 999 call at Lismore Manor, Craigavon in March 2009.

McConville (41) of Glenholme Avenue in the town, is serving at least a 25-year sentence for the murder. Wootton, (22) of Collindale, Lurgan, received a minimum 14-year term. It was revealed in court that an related to a key prosecution  witness was arrested two weeks ago and held for two days before being released without charge. This man has made a sworn court statement branding his relative a compulsive liar. According to defence lawyers police arrested him in a bid to pressure him into withdrawing his evidence, and warned he would be discredited if he testified. They now want the Court of Appeal to direct the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to look into this aspect of the case. Judges yesterday listed their application for  hearing next Wednesday. It was also confirmed that transcripts from all but one of the 11 interviews carried out with this new wittness have been handed over to the defence teams. As he updated the court Ciaran Murphy QC, prosecuting, said ongoing police inquires are expected to take another four weeks. Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan pointed out : “Part of this application is about who should conduct/supervise that investigation.” Mr Murphy replied by suggesting the CCRC may have difficulties in dealing with a continuing police probe.

With many thanks to : Irish News.

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REPUBLICAN REFUSED APPEAL CHALLENGING ‘CLOSED MATERIAL’ !

” We are surprised and disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court but nevertheless bound by its ruling ” - Peter Murphy.

LURGAN Republican Martin Corey has been refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court challenging the refusal to allow his defence team access to ‘closed intelligence’ used to keep him behind bars for the past three years.

English: Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 63-year-old has been held in Maghaberry Prison since 2010 after his life licence was revoked by the then Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, on the basis of “closed material”. His defence team, led by solicitor Peter Murphy, have argued that they are prevented from defending against allegations that he is a danger to public safety because three successive secretaries of state have refused to disclose “confidential intelligence”. The lawyer says they will consider taking a human rights case to the European court at Strasbourg. Corey, who served a life sentence for the joint-enterprise murder of two members of the RUC in 1973, was released from prison on licence in 1992. In April 2010, when he was working as a grave digger, he was arrested and his licence was revoked. In 2011 he was refused parole.

During a High Court appeal in July 2012 Mr Justice Treacy found that the Parole Commissioners had acted in breach of the Lurgan man’s human Rights and that insufficient detail about the allegations had been provided to him. The judge ruled that Corey should be released on bail immediately but this decision was overturned within hours by then secretaty of state, Owen Paterson. Yesterday Mr Murphy said : “We harbour the greatest concerns about the authenticity and strength of these allegations that have seen Mr Corey, deprived of his liberty for over three years. “In short, we see this as internment 2013 and if there is any real confidence on the part of the secretary of state [Theresa Villiers] that only one of these allegations is true, then we would challenge those responsible for having Mr Corey incarcersted to initiate a proper investigation and if needs be charge Mr Corey. “We are surprised and disappointed by the decision of the Supreme Court but are nevertheless bound by it’s ruling. “We will now however be seeking to have our client’s basic human rights and specifically the right to challenge the ongoing deprivation of his liberty, vindicated by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg”. Jim Mcllmurry, who acts as a spokesman for Corey, said : “Martin has come to expect little, and often less, when it comes to the justice system in the North of Ireland. “Our attendence at the Supreme Court in London would have given us the opportunity to expose many aspects of this case which I feel would not be found acceptable in any English court. “He has served what amounts to a six-year sentence without ever being questioned, charged or sentenced.”

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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POLICE ‘TRIED TO SABOTAGE’ APPEAL IN CONSTABLE MURDER CASE

” Two police officers called at the house of this wwitness on whose fresh evidence we rely…. it appears they forced their way into the house and proceeded to warn him that if he went to court he would be discredited ” – Barry Macdonald QC.

POLICE have made an apparent attempt to sabotage appeals by two men convicted of murdering Constable Stephen Carroll, a court heard yesterday. A new witness in the case of John Paul Wotton and Brendan McConville was arrested last week and held for two days before being released without charge in a bid to pressure him into withdrawing his evidence, it was claimed.

Senior judges were told officers had forced their way into his home and warned him he would be discredited if he went to court. Yesterday the planned five-day hearing of the appeal by the pair found guilty of the killing was adjourned because of uncertainty over the potential fresh evidence. Defence lawyers said they would lodge a complaint with the police oombudsman’s office. Constable Carroll was ambushed and shot dead as he responded to an emergency call at Lismore Manor in Craigavon in March 2009. McConville (41), of Glenholme Avenue in the town, is serving at least a 25-year sentence for the murder. Wotton (22), of Collingdale, Lurgan, received a minimum 14-year term. Dressed in dark suits and wearing shirts and ties, both men were led handcuffed into a packed Court of Appeal for the planned opening of their cchallenge.

Family, friends and supporters, including Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six and Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four (pictured above), gathered in the public gallery a few feet away from the murdered officer’s wife Kate Carroll. They heard prosecution counsel Ciaran Murphy QC seek an adjournment because of the new developments. He said an arrest had been made last week as part of a surveillance operation. “There are a number of lines of inquiry that are not yet complete,” he said. Two lever-arch files of new material have emerged and include the contents of 11 interviews. Mr Murphy indicated that ongoing police inquires could take several weeks. McConville’s barrister Barry Macdonald QC stressed that the prosecution case was based entirely on circumstantial evidence, primarily from a man identified only as witness M who claimed to have seen McConville in the area at the time of the killing. Earlier this month a relative of witness M who did not testify at the trial gave an affidavit branding him a compulsive liar, the court heard. Mr Macdonald said the affidavit stated “that he was known to the family as a Walter Mitty, that made up stories, that he had a fertile imagination and you could not believe anything he said “. According to the relative, witness M could not have taken the route he claimed on the night of the murder because his partner was not welcome in his home.

Mr Macdonald told the court : “Then last Monday two police officers called at the house of this witness on whose fresh evidence we rely. “On my instructions it appears they forced their way into the house and proceeded to warn him that if he went to court he would be discredited.” The three appeal judges, Lord Chief Justice Declan Morgan and Lords Justices Higgins and Coghlin, were informed that letters of complaint were also to be sent to the Public Prosecution Service and the Law Society amid concerns that covert surveillance might have been used against the witness, his solicitor or both. Mr Macdonald described the application to adjourn the hearing as “suspicious to say the least”. Defence teams would have no faith in police carrying out an investigation into the issues raised because of the apparent conflict of interest, the barrister said. It was alleged that officers had been able to “arrest this witness and to subject him to pressure – we say improper pressure – with a view to securing the withdrawal of his evedence and therefore undermining the appeal”. Mr Macdonald called for a more independent oversight process. “I’m simply registering strong objection to the conduct that appears to have taken place here and flagging up our deep concerns at the prospect that police should be given more time to sabotage this appeal and put their case togeather,” he said. Following discussions Sir Declan confirmed that the hearing would be postponed until October.

Solicitors seek ‘independent’ investigators

SOLICITORS acting for Brendan McConville will ask a court to appoint “independent” investigators after the PSNI/RUC was accused of trying to “sabotage” his appeal. Kevin Winters last night said he would ask the Court of Appeal to allow the Criminal Cases Review Commission to oversee the PSNI/RUC investigation into a new witness in the case just days after that witness signed an affidavit for the defence team. This arrest was made after a surveillance operation that is understood to have focused on several people. It is beleived to be the first time a court in the North of Ireland will be asked to remove control of an investigation from the PSNI/RUC and hand it to the commission. Set up in 1997 the commission reviews possible miscarriages of justice.

Defence solicitors say it can oversee police investigations in certain circumstances. Mr Winters emphasised the need for an independant body to look at the matter. The police ombudsman’s office has also asked to probe the circumstances of the witness’s arrest. “We have concerns and they were highlighted in court about the manner in which the police have approached this and have written to the police ombudsman and in the strongest terms voiced our grave concerns,” Mr Winters said. The lawyer said he had also written to the Law Society and had asked the Public Prosecution Service to confirm it had offered direction or advice to the PSNI/RUC in relation to the arrest of witness M’s relative. A PSNI/RUC spokesman said : “Police inquiries into this matter are continuing and as such it would be inappropriate to comment any further.”

With many thanks to : Connia Young, Irish News.

elated articles

•  
• Sabotage claim in PSNI murder appeal (bbc.co.uk)
• Psni ‘Sabotage’ Claims Made at Constable Stephen Carroll Murder Appeal (belfastdaily.co.uk)
• Paddy Hill of the ‘Birmingham Six’ says the ‘Craigavon Two’ are INNOCENT (seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com)
• Police accused of sabotage over Stephen Carroll killers’ appeal (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)

DISSIDENTS PARADE KIDS IN PARAMILITARY GARB

Use of children to glorify violence disgraceful says MP

THE use of primary school children dressed in paramilitary uniform and marching in military formation to lead a dissident republican parade has been ccondemned as ” disgraceful “. There were calls for the children’s commissioner to investigate after three boys were dressed in berets, dark glasses and black gloves at a North Belfast Easter commemoration.

After the boys led the parade to a Fianna mural in Ardoyne a gunman emerged from the crowd and fired shots into the air. Na Fianna hEireann is the youth wing of the IRA. Several hundred people attended the parade organised by Republican Network for Unity  (RNU) and the Henry Joy McCracken flute band. North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds said it was ” disgraceful to see children being used to glorify paramilatary activites and violence “. ” This is highly inappropraite and I would call on the children’s commissioner and the revevant ahthorites to investigate this incident thoroughly,” he said. RNU spokesman Ciaran Cunningham said the group – which recently announced it was considering standing candidates in future elections – had helped to orginise the march but distanced himself from the involvment of the children. ” The Fianna parade is now in its third year and while RNU and Henry Joy McCracken band provided the plaque and help with some of the logistics required to orgainse such an avent the cosmetic pageantry wuold not be a matter for us and would be a oganised at a local level,” he said. Nigel Dodds said : ” My party ccolleagues and I will be pursuing these matters with the police and will be asking serious questions about the flagrant promotion of criminality and terrorism. ” Given that this parade and wreath laying were notified to the PSNI/RUC and to the Parades Commission what level of monitoring and observation did those authorities have in place ? ” In the light of what has occoured what actions will the PSNI/RUC and the Parades Commission be taking against the organisers ?

Gunman firing shots into the air at Ardoyne parade

” I know absoulutely nothing about the shots being fired but will take no lectures from Nigel Dodds or any other member of his party that regularly particpates in events glorifying and encourging recruitment to the British Army,” he said. ” The bulk of armed men in Ardoyne on Saturday were members of the PSNI/RUC. ” We would not have been made aware of the finer details of the pageantry beforehand but I’m not going to start condemning people on the ground for what is a fairly minor thing.” $hame £ein assembly member Gerry Kelly cocondemned the firing of shots at Saturday’s parade. He said dissident republicians had been exploting parades ” as a cover to do other things “.

With many thanks to : Allison Morris, Irish News.

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