Sean Brown’s family ‘regret’ move to appeal public inquiry decision

The family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown have expressed “deep regret” over the Government’s move to appeal against an order by the Northern Ireland Secretary to order a public inquiry into the murder.

Mr Brown, 61, was abducted by loyalists in Belaghy, County Londonderry, and shot dead near Randles Town, County Antrim, in May 1997.

last month, The High Court judge ordered a public inquiry. After finding that the UK government continued to violate its human rights obligations to fully investigate state complicity in the murder.

However, the Northern Ireland Office has confirmed that the government has now lodged a notice of appeal and is “expediting” the matter.

A spokesman for the Brown family said the appeal was lodged on December 31, adding: “It is regrettable that the Secretary of State has decided that our mother will now enter her 88th year. Yet denied the truth of how, why and by whom.” Her husband was kidnapped, beaten and killed.

“It’s embarrassing.”

The statement added that the family “will not give up their fight to get to the truth”.

“We had hoped that he would take a different path to former Tory ministers. Sadly, that will not be the case,” the statement said.

On Friday, a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said it had “deep sympathy for Mrs Brown and her family, who have suffered greatly since Sean Brown’s murder”.

“The recent decision of the High Court, however, has raised many important issues, including matters of constitutional importance that are beyond the scope of this individual case.

“So the government has filed a notice of appeal in the Court of Appeal and we are looking into it.”

The NIO added that the appeal “will not delay the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Inheritance Act, and to strengthen its capacity to find answers for victims and families of the Independent Commission for Conciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) will be reformed”.

Granting a judicial review challenge in December by Brady Brown, Mr Brown’s widow, 87, Mr Justice Humphreys said there was a “clear and unambiguous obligation” to establish a statutory inquiry.

“No viable alternative to a public inquiry has been presented,” the judge confirmed to the high court.

“In these circumstances, there can be only one legal response, a public inquiry must be convened to meet the State’s Article 2 obligation.”