Court decision is not fair on accused
Over three years after a district court threw out charges against a former police officer and two others, arising out of the death in Portadown of Robert Hamill, the fact that the High Court last week quashed that decision imposes unfairness on those accused.
Why did it take three years to require this matter to be revisited?
This intolerable situation is compounded by the fact that a further preliminary investigation in this case will be yet another time these accused will be put through this process.
Preliminary investigations were held in 2003, 2012 and 2014. On every occasion, the prosecution case has been ruled unfit to proceed to trial, yet a further attempt is now to be made to drag these people before the courts.
The new director of prosecutions needs to seriously examine the fairness and appropriateness of trying to again present evidence which has been discredited so many times.
Jim Allister, TUV leader