Brown family has no ‘faith or trust’ in ICRIR

The family of murdered GAA club chairman Sean Brown does not have “any faith or trust” in a Troubles information recovery body, as it sought a public inquiry into his death.

Judgment has been reserved on a Government appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn a decision compelling it to hold a public inquiry into the Troubles-era killing that has been linked to state agents.

Mr Brown, chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Gaelic Athletic Club in Co Londonderry, was aged 61 when he was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.

The Government agrees with the family that there has been no adequate investigation into the death, but in 2024 the then-Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn decided this should be done by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) without the need for a public inquiry.

Niall Murphy (Liam McBurney/PA)

PA Wire

However, the family of Mr Brown says it has no trust in the body and is calling on Mr Benn’s successor, Sir Chris Bryant, to announce a public inquiry.

Speaking to the media after the Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, Mr Brown’s daughter Clare Loughran said: “The Government are still in a state of illegality.

“They still have not offered an independent investigation into my father’s murder.

“And remember, we’re almost 30 years, and they still haven’t done that.”

Ms Loughran said Sir Chris “really has to be forced to make a decision”.

She said: “They have only two options now in our mind.

“The first option is the public inquiry, which we believe is the right and the best option for us.

“And the second option will be that the Secretary of State will refer us to the ICRIR – we are not going to the ICRIR.”

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant (Zoe Head-Thomas/PA)

PA Wire

She added: “We don’t have any faith or trust in the organisation.”

Niall Murphy, the family’s solicitor, said: “There were a lot of esoteric arguments, legal arguments back and forth.

“But at the core and soul of this case is this family.

“They lost their father, their grandfather, their husband 28 years ago, and the dignity that they have reposed in his memory has been as vivid and potent today as it was every single day since the murder.

“The only legal resolution to this case that will satisfy the family’s expectations is a public inquiry.”

Mr Murphy said Mr Brown’s widow Bridie was not physically able to attend but had followed “every single second” via video link.

He said it was “disgraceful” that the family had been brought to court.

“I think agencies such as the Secretary of State, the Northern Ireland Office, need to understand the emotional investment and distress that taking people to court has.”