Duffy case appealed to Euro human rights court

The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) has lodged a European human rights appeal on behalf of Mr Colin Duffy, who is charged with the June murders of two RUC men in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

The CAJ has taken a case to the European Commission of Human Rights, claiming that Mr Duffy could become another miscarriage of justice victim. It urged the commission to "order" the British government to immediately release him.

Mr Duffy (29), from Lurgan, is charged with murdering RUC Constable Roland Graham and Reserve Constable David Johnson, at Church Walk, Lurgan, on June 16th. A previous murder conviction, for which he served 3 1/2 years, was overturned last year.

The CAJ said that since 1989, Mr Duffy had spent almost five years in custody on charges which were either withdrawn or dismissed. The evidence against Mr Duffy consisted of a statement from a Witness D who was in protective custody.

"Twelve people have made statements to the police supporting Mr Duffy's alibi. Others have said they were with Witness D at the time of the killings and that she could not have seen what she said she did," it said.

Mr Paul Mageean, the CAJ legal officer, said that "given the history of previous unsuccessful prosecutions, CAJ were asking the commission to use an expedited procedure, reserved for emergency cases, to secure Mr Duffy's release". "It is unacceptable that an individual is constantly charged and imprisoned on the basis of insufficient evidence."