‘Hooded men’ seek state help in torture case

A group of men detained by British security forces during the Troubles want the Irish Government to step in and seek a review of a controversial 1978 judgment of the European Court of Human Rights which said their treatment was "inhuman and degrading" but not torture.

In proceedings before High Court president Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns yesterday, the court heard the group known as “the hooded men” wants the Government to apply to have the ECHR’s decision revised as new evidence revealed in a RTÉ programme supports their claims they were tortured.

The action is being brought on behalf of Francis McGuigan, Jim Auld Patrick McNally, Gerard McKerr, Liam Shannon, Kevin Hannaway, Michael Donnell, Brian Turley, Joe Clark, Paddy Joe McClean, Tony Shivers on behalf of the late Pat Shivers and Deirdre Montgomery on behalf of Michael Montgomery (deceased). All of the parties reside in Northern Ireland.