The family of Sean Brown, the GAA chairman abducted and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997, has expressed profound frustration after the British government lodged an appeal against a court ruling that mandates a public inquiry into his death.
In April, the High Court in Belfast ruled that the UK government must hold an independent public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Brown’s death at Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club. The ruling was widely seen as a significant step towards transparency and justice for the family and the local community.
However, in a move that has reignited tensions, the UK government sought permission to appeal the ruling directly to the UK Supreme Court. The appeal documents have since been formally submitted and appear on the Supreme Court’s website.
Sean Brown’s daughter, Siobhan, voiced strong condemnation of the government’s approach, describing it as an act of “contempt” towards her family. She criticised the lack of prior notice about the appeal, stating: “The secretary of state is thumbing his nose at our family and also to the court by lodging this application directly to the Supreme Court, without notice to us or the court.”
Siobhan emphasised the family’s determination to resist the appeal, adding: “We are confident that we benefit from the support of the entire community who will join us in rejecting this.”
The family’s legal representative, solicitor Niall Murphy, echoed concerns about communication failures, noting that the Brown family only learned of the appeal through a late-night media report. He highlighted that this was in direct contradiction to previous assurances made to the Court of Appeal.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn defended the government’s decision, stating that the appeal concerns “matters of constitutional significance” extending beyond the individual case. Benn reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a “full, independent, and thorough investigation into Mr Brown’s death that is compliant with our human rights obligations.”
The Brown family will now have the opportunity to object to the appeal being heard by the Supreme Court. A decision on whether to grant permission for the appeal is expected within approximately four months, with a potential hearing scheduled up to nine months later if the appeal proceeds.
This case continues to highlight the enduring complexities surrounding legacy issues in Northern Ireland and the challenges faced by victims’ families seeking accountability and closure. The Brown family’s insistence on a public inquiry reflects a broader call for transparency in addressing unresolved cases from the Troubles era.
As the legal process unfolds, the outcome will be closely watched by human rights advocates, political stakeholders, and communities affected by past violence, underscoring the ongoing struggle to balance justice, reconciliation, and constitutional law in Northern Ireland.
