Patsy Duffy inquest PE hears claim July 2024 disclosure date a ‘form of sabotage’

The claim was made by Michael Mansfield, King’s Counsel (KC), who represents the family of Patrick Duffy from the Brandywell area of Derry who was shot dead in Maureen Avenue after the hearing heard that Ministry of Defence disclosure will not be ready until July next year.

After the hearing was told that the disclosure will not be available until July 8, 2024, Mr. Mansfield said that he would not describe that date ‘as a joke’ but said if that date was allowed to stand that was 'the end of the matter'.

He described the actions of the MoD as 'a form of sabotage' as the British Government have set a deadline for May 1 for this type of hearing to be complete.

Mr. Mansfield told the court that if the issue was one of resources then more resources should be made available.

He added that the issues in this inquest were simple; it was about the shooting of an individual by the British Army and it was not an inquiry into the shoot to kill policy.

He told the court that a more thorough scrutiny of the material should be done to facilitate the disclosure process.

Mr. Michael Egan, who represents some of the military witnesses, said that there were three of them still alive.

The court heard that the issues that had arisen in this inquest were the same as in other inquests and added that people who could deal with the sensitive material were 'thin on the ground'.

Mr. Egan said that this was 'a hard stop imposed by parliament' and that it not the fault of any parties to the hearing.

Mark McEvoy, for the MoD told the court that the proposed date was 'not a joke' but an indication of the pressure that the MOD was under.

The hearing was adjourned until December 14, 2023.