London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

Calls for Public Inquiry into Murder of GAA Official Sean Brown Intensify

Calls for Public Inquiry into Murder of GAA Official Sean Brown Intensify

Prime Minister urged to intervene as legal battles continue over the case.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing increasing calls to initiate a public inquiry into the 1997 murder of Sean Brown, a local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) official.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O’Neill has expressed discontent with the Secretary of State's lack of action and has formally written to Starmer urging immediate steps towards accountability for Brown's family.

Sean Brown, aged 61 at the time of his death, was the chairman of the Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club in County Londonderry.

He was ambushed, kidnapped, and subsequently murdered by loyalist paramilitaries while securing the club's gates in May 1997.

Recent developments in the legal proceedings surrounding Brown’s case have emerged following a judgment from three judges at the Court of Appeal in Belfast, who declared the UK Government's failure to order a public inquiry unlawful.

Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, delivering the ruling, provided Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn a four-week period to contemplate the court's decision before the scheduling of a subsequent hearing.

The UK Government has indicated it will carefully assess the court’s ruling.

Outside the court, Bridie Brown, Sean Brown's elderly widow, voiced her frustration, noting that she has attended court hearings 58 times in her pursuit of justice.

In addressing reporters in Belfast, O’Neill characterized the treatment of the Brown family as “horrible” and “horrific,” emphasizing the emotional toll on them, especially on Mrs. Brown, who is 87 years old.

O’Neill highlighted the repeated judicial calls for a public inquiry, criticizing the British Government for what she described as an ongoing disregard for the family’s suffering.

Conor Murphy, a Sinn Féin senator, raised Brown's case during discussions with the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty.

Murphy underscored the UK Government’s ongoing failure to initiate an independent public inquiry, despite a previous High Court ruling mandating it, which was reaffirmed by last week’s Court of Appeal decision.

He noted Chief Justice Keegan’s remarks on the lack of an effective investigation in the nearly three decades since the murder, labeling the situation a “shocking state of affairs.”

Additionally, a coroner's inquiry into Brown's death was halted last year due to concerns over the impact of confidential state materials on the ability to examine the case impartially.

Preliminary hearings indicated that over 25 individuals were linked to the murder via intelligence, with allegations suggesting that surveillance of a suspect was briefly discontinued the night of the murder before resuming the next morning.

The coroner, Mr. Justice Kinney, called for the establishment of a public inquiry, a recommendation that the Government did not accept.

Instead, Secretary Benn proposed that the matter be handed to a new investigatory body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

This decision was subsequently challenged by Mrs. Brown, leading to a High Court ruling in her favor last December, which mandated the Government to hold an inquiry.

This ruling was then appealed by the Government, culminating in the recent Court of Appeal judgment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×