Family to sue British state, Crown Forces

The family of a County Armagh teenager shot dead by loyalists almost 30 years ago are to sue the PSNI, the British Ministry for Defence and the British Direct Ruler Brandon Lewis.

Gavin McShane was seventeen years of age when he was murdered along with his friend Shane McArdle as they stood in a taxi depot in Armagh on May 18 1994.

The killer, who was not masked and is a suspected British agent linked to the paramilitary UVF, shot both teenagers once in the head as they played a computer game in the depot at Lower English Street.

Mr McShane died at the scene, while his friend - also aged 17 and from Markethill - died the following day.

Despite suspected links to other murders, the PSNI recently confirmed to legal representatives that they have no plans to look again at the murder of Mr McShane.

Earlier this year members of the Dublin parliament were briefed on the shocking double murders.

Lawyer Kevin Winters of KRW Law said: “Coming nearly 20 years apart, a chronic police failing to investigate binds both of these horrific incidents together.

“The suffering and trauma suffered by Mrs McShane and her family has been aggravated by state-loyalist terrorist collusion in both incidents

“There is a horrible irony in Maria issuing separate High Court actions at the same time for her terrible injuries sustained at the Step Inn Bar and on behalf of her son Gavin murdered in Armagh.”

Mark Thompson from Relatives for Justice said: “The killing of Gavin McShane is one of the killings that goes to the heart Britain’s dirty war in Mid Ulster in terms of the role of RUC Special Branch, MI5 and the military in terms of control and direction of the Mid Ulster UVF over several decades”.

Urgent Appeal