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Derry Journal
17 February 2012
The family and girlfriend of the late Andrew Allen have criticised the police on both sides of the border following his untimely death.
His girlfriend Arlene cannot understand why no description of the gunman has been issued.
She told the Journal: “Since the Guards and police haven’t given out a description, I would like to say that the man that I witnessed was about 5’8”, and wearing a black baseball cap and dark clothes. From what I could see he was on his own, holding what looked like a sawn-off shotgun.”
She also feels their perceived lack of action is letting Andrew’s loved ones down.
“Since Andrew died, no-one has called us. They haven’t called his mother and they haven’t come near anyone in the family or me.”
In respect of the ‘groups’ carrying out these attacks, Andrew’s uncle Tony said: “These vigilante groups are making the town very tentative. It’s a strain on the town. And I think the police are useless.
“They won’t go into the nationalist areas to police the community. What are they doing about these groups? They’re doing nothing.
“These groups are threatening everybody all of the time; soon we’re going to see grandparents under threat. In the last week, after Andy’s death, three more boys have got death threats; that’s no way to live.”
BBC
17 Feb 2012
Sharon Wootton admitted obstructing police by removing a computer from her house
The mother of one of the men accused of the murder of Constable Stephen Carroll has pleaded guilty to obstructing police investigating the killing.
Sharon Wootton admitted that on a date between March 8 – 11 2009, she removed computer equipment from her Lurgan home to another address.
She had originally faced a charge of perverting the course of justice.
However, Lord Justice Girvan acquitted her of that count after the Crown offered no further evidence on it.
Wootton’s 20-year-old son John Paul Wootton from Collindale, Lurgan, and former Sinn Fein councillor Brendan McConville, 40, of Glenholme Avenue, Craigavon both deny murdering Constable Carroll on March 9 2009.
The officer was shot dead after responding with colleagues to a 999 call at Lismore Manor in Craigavon.
Defence QC Karen Quinliven applied for continuing bail for Sharon Wootton while pre-sentence probation reports are completed.
Lord Justice Girvan adjourned passing sentence until a date to be fixed.
BBC
17 Feb 2012
The family of a Derry teenager shot dead by the Army 40 years ago have dismissed a report into his killing as a “whitewash”.
Manus Deery was shot dead in the Bogside in 1972.
The Army maintain a soldier in a lookout post on Derry walls fired at what appeared to be a gunman about 200 metres away, missed, and that the ricochet fatally injured the teenager.
His family have always disputed the Army’s version.
They have now also criticised the Historical Enquiries Team report into the teenager’s death.
Mr Deery’s sister Helen said she wanted the case re-opened.
“With the information which they were given it is near impossible to come back with the same report that I now have,” she said.
“Letters with different dates, they didn’t even get my mother’s name right the second time round.
“They got it wrong the first time round and I made them take note of that and they came back the second time with her name still wrong.
“It’s a whitewash.”
BBC
17 Feb 2012
Old Bailey bomber Marian Price has been moved from Maghaberry to the women’s prison at Hydebank outside Belfast.
On Thursday night a priest described her continuing detention as a form of internment.
Marian Price has been held on licence since she appeared at a dissident republican rally in Derry last year
The claim has been “entirely refuted” by NI Secretary Owen Paterson, who revoked her release licence last May.
The prison service has told the BBC the decision to move Price was taken on clinical advice from healthcare staff at the South Eastern Trust.
It said that since being returned to prison nine months ago the prison service and the trust have, on a number of occasions, discussed and reviewed her needs while in custody.
She was returned to prison last May after appearing at a dissident republican rally in Derry and has since been charged in connection with the murders of two soldiers at Masserene a charge she denies.
‘Form of internment’
A meeting of supporters campaigning for her release was held in Derry on Thursday night.
Former prison chaplain Monsignor Raymond Murray said Mr Paterson’s decision had echoes of the past for nationalists.
“This is a form of internment,” said Monsignor Murray, who was prison chaplain in Armagh for almost 20 years.
“I am just shocked that the secretary of state wouldn’t be aware of how seriously nationalist people look on internment.
“We thought it had all ended and here it is coming under a form of revocation, revoking a license.
“He would have to explain to us and explain the process of law as regards Marian Price.
“In any way has she broken the law? That would have to be provided but it is not provided by shoving her into prison on a pretence in an unjust way.”
On Friday, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness also criticised her detention.
“That action by Owen Paterson amounted to detention without trial and runs contrary to natural justice,” he added.
“Sinn Fein has raised its concerns on this issue at every opportunity and will continue to press Owen Paterson on it as a matter of urgency.”
‘Protection of the public’
However, the Northern Ireland Office said: “Following a recommendation from the independent parole commissioners, the secretary of state revoked Marian McGlinchey’s licence on 15 May 2011.
“In accordance with the provisions of the Life Sentences (Northern Ireland) Order 2011, the secretary of state may revoke a licence where it is necessary for the protection of the public from serious harm and to prevent the commission of further offences.
“Those released on licence have an obligation to act within the terms of their release.
“Mrs McGlinchey has been charged with two offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, one of which is in connection with the Masserene murders.
“In these circumstances, and considering the need to protect the public, Mrs. McGlinchey’s licence was revoked. An independent panel of parole commissioners is now considering her case.
“The secretary of state entirely refutes the allegation that this is internment without trial.
“Due process has been followed at all times: Mrs McGlinchey is aware of the case against her and has an opportunity to challenge it, and submit evidence on her behalf, during the course of the parole hearing.”
Justice committee chair Paul Girvan of the DUP, said claims of internment were “reckless and dangerous” and said he supported the action taken by Mr Paterson.
“It feeds the propaganda of dissident republicans who want to take Northern Ireland back to our troubled past,” he said.
Commenting on Price’s move to Hydebank, Mr Givan questioned her placing in Maghaberry – an all-male prison.
BBC
17 Feb 2012
Northern Ireland’s former top forensic scientist said he was “furious” that the bomb detonation site in County Louth, used in the Narrow Water attack, had been destroyed before he could gather evidence.
Eighteen British soldiers died in the IRA bombing in 1979.
Dr Alan Hall was giving evidence to the Smithwick Tribunal.
It is investigating the murders of two senior policemen.
There have been allegations of Irish police/IRA collusion in the 1989 murders of Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan in south Armagh.
Dr Hall said when he first arrived at the detonation site in County Louth with RUC officers three days after the atrocity he could see “a wealth of potential evidence” on the ground.
He agreed with the garda in charge that the scene would be preserved until the next day when he would return with his forensic team.
But on his return he found the area had been “obliterated”.
The scientist said it was like “someone with a scythe had gone over the extended area”.
When he inquired what had happened, the garda he had met the previous day told him they had cleared the scene looking for evidence.
Dr Hall said he was “astounded”.
“I was furious at the loss of potential evidence, and of going to the trouble of setting up a whole team to do a job that was no longer necessary,” he added.
Asked if he thought it was done deliberately, he said: “It was either unbelievably incompetent or deliberately obstructive.”
He said he could not remember the name or the rank of the officer he had spoken to.
A legal representative for An Garda Siochana said a forensic search of the area had been conducted by Garda officers and over 60 exhibits had been collected and sent to the forensic lab in Dublin.
Dr Hall said that if it had been a comprehensive examination then his reaction would have been different, “but when I saw it I could see there was still evidence”.
On Thursday, a former RUC detective involved in the original investigation, told the tribunal forensic evidence was lost when the site was interfered with.
BBC
17 Feb 2012
**Probation??? What the hell?
A former SDLP councillor from Derry has been given a probation order after admitting two charges of sexual assault against a child.
The girl was 11 at the time of the attack.
William McCorriston, 77, from Phillip Street, was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
He had previously admitted two counts of sexual assault on dates between 6 and 21 September, 2010.
SAOIRSE32 
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