murder detectives accused has case arrest the wrong man … · 2019-12-13 · Massive-Semtex-haul...
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SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1 2014 www.irishnews.com 80p/€1.20 Young Omagh side ready for Cross test ULSTER CLUB SFC & SHC: P76-79 Gallagher confirmed as Donegal boss BACK PAGE NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR Food & drink, interviews, gardening & 4 puzzle pages Ireland’s greatest: Jack Kyle’s new book Everyday easy seafood recipes Italian simplicity and great food A view of Valletta Travel WEEKEND WEEKEND: 25 pages Massive-Semtex-haul accused has case against him dropped A NORTH Belfast man accused over the larg- est seizure of Semtex in the last 10 years has had the case against him dropped. Prosecutors said they were withdrawing a charge that Thomas Hughes possessed explosives with intent to en- danger life. The decision, confirmed at Belfast Magistrates Court, fol- lows a review of all available forensic evidence in the case. Mr Hughes (47), of Maeve House in the New Lodge area, was arrested after police dis- covered 2.5kg of Semtex at the apartment complex in May. It had been cut into two blocks and was wrapped in clingfilm and tinfoil. Latex gloves and a knife sus- pected of having been used to divide the explosives were also seized. Mr Hughes, originally from Scotland, was not in the prop- erty when police raided it. At a previous court hear- ing his lawyer described him as coming from a republican background, being a strong supporter of the peace pro- cess and being vehemently opposed to any dissident re- publican activity. Following confirmation of the prosecution position yes- terday District Judge Fiona Bagnall ordered the charge against him to be withdrawn. Mr Hughes’s solicitor Mi- chael Madden said his client should never have been be- fore the courts. Mr Madden, of Madden and Finucane solicitors, said the hearing “marks the culmina- tion of a sustained campaign of representations at remand hearings for the Public Pros- ecution Service and the PSNI to serve evidence alleged to connect our client to the high explosives haul”. “This was a prosecution against Mr Hughes that should never have been brought,” he said. “We made strenuous objec- tions both in Antrim serious crime suite and at our client’s first remand hearing as to the sufficiency and strength of the evidence said to properly ground this charge. “We are pleased that Mr Hughes can now look for- ward to putting this traumat- ic experience behind him and to getting back to his normal life.” n CLEARED: Tommy Hughes with his son Tiernan Og last night after charges were against him were dropped. Inset, the Maeve House complex in north Belfast where the Semtex was found PICTURES: Hugh Russell Staff Reporter [email protected] McConville murder detectives arrest the wrong man D ETECTIVES investigating the murder of Jean McConville are believed to have arrested the wrong man this week, apparently mistaking former Sinn Féin councillor Pat Rice for veteran republican Paddy Joe Rice. Pat Rice, pictured, a retired grammar school teacher, was taken from his Poleglass home on Thursday and released a few hours later unconditionally. Paddy Joe Rice, a close friend of the late Brendan Hughes, parted ways with the mainstream republican movement and has been an outspoken opponent of the Sinn Féin political strategy and the party’s leader Gerry Adams. He is also believed to have made a tape detailing his republican activities as part of the discredited Boston College ‘Belfast Project’. Pat Rice, through his solicitor Padraig O Muirigh, is to lodge legal proceedings against the PSNI for wrongful arrest and make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman. “It was confirmed by police during the course of his interview that the PSNI do not have any evidence, whether forensic or witness statement, implicating my client in this incident nor was he named or identified by anyone who participated in the ‘Boston College Project’,” Mr O Muirigh said. A police spokeswoman would only say: “If anyone has a complaint to make regarding police action they can contact the office of the Police Ombudsman.” Allison Morris Security Correspondent [email protected] Story in full P4
Transcript of murder detectives accused has case arrest the wrong man … · 2019-12-13 · Massive-Semtex-haul...
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1 2014www.irishnews.com 80p/€1.20
Young Omaghside ready forCross testULSTER CLUB SFC & SHC: P76-79
Gallagherconfirmed asDonegal bossBACK PAGE
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Food & drink, interviews, gardening & 4 puzzle pagesInterview
Ireland’s greatest:Jack Kyle’s new book
Niall McKennaEveryday easyseafood recipes
Eating outItalian simplicityand great food
A view of VallettaTravel P34,35
WEEKENDFood & Drink l Gardening l Environment l Travel l Television l Radio SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 1 2014
WEEKEND:25 pages
Massive-Semtex-haulaccused has caseagainst him droppedANORTH Belfast man
accused over the larg-est seizure of Semtexin the last 10 years
has had the case against himdropped.Prosecutors said they were
withdrawing a charge thatThomas Hughes possessedexplosives with intent to en-danger life.The decision, confirmed at
Belfast Magistrates Court, fol-lows a review of all availableforensic evidence in the case.Mr Hughes (47), of Maeve
House in the New Lodge area,was arrested after police dis-covered 2.5kg of Semtex atthe apartment complex inMay.It had been cut into two
blocks and was wrapped inclingfilm and tinfoil.Latex gloves and a knife sus-
pected of having been usedto divide the explosives werealso seized.Mr Hughes, originally from
Scotland, was not in the prop-erty when police raided it.At a previous court hear-
ing his lawyer described himas coming from a republicanbackground, being a strongsupporter of the peace pro-cess and being vehementlyopposed to any dissident re-publican activity.Following confirmation of
the prosecution position yes-terday District Judge FionaBagnall ordered the chargeagainst him to be withdrawn.Mr Hughes’s solicitor Mi-
chael Madden said his clientshould never have been be-fore the courts.Mr Madden, of Madden and
Finucane solicitors, said thehearing “marks the culmina-tion of a sustained campaignof representations at remandhearings for the Public Pros-ecution Service and the PSNIto serve evidence alleged toconnect our client to the highexplosives haul”.“This was a prosecution
against Mr Hughes thatshould never have beenbrought,” he said.
“We made strenuous objec-tions both in Antrim seriouscrime suite and at our client’sfirst remand hearing as to thesufficiency and strength ofthe evidence said to properlyground this charge.“We are pleased that Mr
Hughes can now look for-ward to putting this traumat-ic experience behind himand to getting back to hisnormal life.”
n CLEARED: TommyHughes with his sonTiernan Og last nightafter charges wereagainst him weredropped. Inset, theMaeve House complexin north Belfast wherethe Semtex was found
PICTURES:Hugh Russell
Staff [email protected]
McConvillemurderdetectivesarrest thewrong man
DETECTIVESinvestigating themurder of Jean
McConville are believed tohave arrested the wrongman this week, apparentlymistaking former Sinn Féincouncillor Pat Rice forveteran republican Paddy JoeRice.Pat Rice, pictured,a retired grammarschool teacher,was taken from hisPoleglass homeon Thursday andreleased a fewhours later unconditionally.Paddy Joe Rice, a closefriend of the late BrendanHughes, parted ways withthe mainstream republicanmovement and has been anoutspoken opponent of theSinn Féin political strategyand the party’s leader GerryAdams.He is also believed to havemade a tape detailing hisrepublican activities as partof the discredited BostonCollege ‘Belfast Project’.Pat Rice, through his solicitorPadraig O Muirigh, is to lodgelegal proceedings againstthe PSNI for wrongful arrestand make a complaint to thePolice Ombudsman.“It was confirmed by policeduring the course of hisinterview that the PSNIdo not have any evidence,whether forensic or witnessstatement, implicating myclient in this incident nor washe named or identified byanyone who participated inthe ‘Boston College Project’,”Mr O Muirigh said.A police spokeswomanwould only say: “If anyonehas a complaint to makeregarding police action theycan contact the office of thePolice Ombudsman.”
Allison MorrisSecurity [email protected]
Story in full P4
