Leading prosecuting lawyer during the Northern Ireland Troubles Ronnie Appleton dies, 97
Ronnie Appleton, one of the most important prosecution lawyers during the Troubles, has died at the age of 97.
Mr Appleton, who was the chief crown prosecutor for Northern Ireland for 22 years from the 1970s to the late 1990s, was involved in the prosecution of many high profile murder cases, terrorist and non terrorist.
He was a prosecutor in the murders by Michael Stone of three mourners at the Milltown funeral of three IRA members killed in Gibraltar in 1988, and then in the criminal trials of the killings of two corporals who, days later, blundered into the funeral of one of the Milltown dead. That is believed to have been the first British trial were video evidence was admitted.
He was a prosecutor against the earlier Shankill butchers. Martin Dillon, in his book on those loyalist serial killers, described Mr Appleton as "one of the outstanding lawyers of his generation". He also prosecuted two men tried in connection with the 1978 IRA La Mon house massacre.
Non Troubles cases in which Mr Appleton was prosecutor included the trial of the ex chair of Lotus Luxury car firm, Frederick Bushell, for fraud in the 1980s relating to the De Lorean motor company in west Belfast – the only successful prosecution in that fraud.
Mr Appleton was also for 14 years president of the Jewish Community in Northern Ireland.
Ronald Appleton, who died on Sunday, was born in Belfast on December 29 1927, the eldest son of Sophie, who had been born near Kiev in Ukraine, and David, who was born in Dumfries from a family of Lithuanian origin. David was a merchant seaman had served with the Royal Australian Navy in the Great War.
Mr Appleton attended Skegoniell Primary School before Belfast High School. He went on to study law at Queen's University Belfast, where he was head of the University Socialist Society.
He married Shoshana (née Schmidt) in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1963. She survives him with their five children, Dallia, Michael, David (Dudi), Philip and Sophie, and three grandchildren Tali, Laliv and Galil.
Northern Ireland’s Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Herron, told the Irish News: “Ronald Appleton KC was a towering figure in the legal community in Northern Ireland and beyond.
“He dedicated himself to upholding the very highest standards of his profession throughout his long and distinguished career. As director of public prosecutions, I am honoured to pay special tribute to him for his selfless, unwavering service to the citizens of Northern Ireland, as senior crown counsel at the height of the conflict.
“In this role he prosecuted some of the most complex cases in our history on behalf of all our community, without fear or favour. Our society owes him a great debt of gratitude for his unfailing commitment and immense contribution to maintaining the rule of law in Northern Ireland during the most difficult times.”
Ben Lowry, the editor of the News Letter, said that as a school pupil he as work experience followed Mr Appleton, including in a non-Troubles murder case over a killing in north Antrim.
"I have never forgotten that case. It was obvious even to a teenager that he was a criminal barrister of the highest calibre.”
The funeral will be held today at 2pm at the Jewish cemetery in Carnmoney.