Renewed effort as Craigavon Two appeal is rejected

A group set up to oppose a miscarriage of justice in the conviction of the Craigavon Two has vowed to continue its campaign despite losing an appeal this week.

Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton were convicted by a special non-jury court last year of killing PSNI man Stephen Carroll in an attack claimed by the Continuity IRA in 2009.

The Court of Appeal this week blankly rejected all grounds of challenge advanced by the two men. Chief Justice Declan Morgan said the surrounding circumstances formed a “compelling case” for each man’s guilt.

In a statement, the Justice for the Craigavon Two campaign said that it was redoubling its efforts to pursue an end to the miscarriage of justice

“It seems the judicial system in the north is inherently corrupted, incapable of rectifying this most blatant of injustices and therefore we will rely on the public, which this system claims to protect, to rectify these wrongs,” it said.

Patrick Carty of the campaign group hit out at the reserved judgment, which followed a case heard last October.

“Anybody who has seen the so-called evidence, including justice campaigners, believe it has been a miscarriage of justice,” he said.

“The Justice for the Craigavon Two group will now intensify this campaign and internationalise the case.”

Gerry Conlon, who was wrongly convicted of involvement in the 1974 Guildford Pub bombing, is chairman of Justice for the Craigavon Two. In a statement, he also condemned the judgment, which he described as “nothing short of disgraceful”.

“The case of the Craigavon Two will not fade away which is hoped by the establishment but it will continue until justice is done and is seen to be done,” he said.

“Those politicians who claim to represent and speak for nationalists, republicans and the working class should be outraged by this judgment.

“They now have an opportunity to voice their concern and outrage at this blatant injustice.”

Urgent Appeal