The Five Demands

‘Republican cell wreck’ trial adjourned (UTV)

The trial of 11 Republicans including prominent Lurgan dissident Colin Duffy, who are charged with wrecking their cells at Maghaberry jail, has been adjourned.
The prosecution were not able to open the case at Belfast Magistrates’ Court because a witness wasn’t available.

The trial was also adjourned because defence lawyers protested that they hadn’t been able to watch a DVD of video footage from inside Maghaberry on the night the prisoners were alleged to have caused criminal damage to their cells in May of last year.

Three of the accused, including Duffy, have been freed from jail in the past 15 months – but the other men all appeared in the dock with long beards which they’d grown as part of a protest at jail conditions.

Outside the court, supporters of the accused held a protest and there was a strong security presence around the Laganside complex.

Prosecuting lawyer Michael Chambers said a prison officer, who could prove there had been no damage to the cells previously, would not be available until later in the week.

Defence lawyers said DVDs provided to them by the prosecution didn’t work and Mr Chambers said police had undertaken to supply new copies.

Among the accused are John Paul Wootton and Brendan McConville who were convicted earlier this year of murdering PSNI officer Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon in March 2009.

The other accused are: Kevin Barry Nolan, from Main Street, Blacklion; Gerard James McManus from Fernhill, Letterkenny; Damien Joseph McLaughlin, from Lake View Cottages, Dungannon; Mark McGuigan, from Sperrin View, Omagh; Sean McConville, from Kilwilkee Road, Lurgan; Brendan Conway, from Rosemount Gardens, Belfast; Joseph Patrick Barr, from Bridge Street, Strabane; and Harry Fitzsimmons, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry.

Like Duffy, Conway and McLaughlin are no longer in prison.

A lawyer for Brendan McConville said he and his colleagues wanted the chance to watch the CCTV footage at Maghaberry because people had gained unlawful entry to his client’s cell in the past to plant details about the prison governor in order to unsettle him in his position at the jail.

District Judge Des Perry is to review the case on Wednesday.