SF's Molloy denies allegation of involvement in killing

Francie Molloy, a Deputy Speaker of the Northern Assembly, has been named in the House of Commons by a DUP MP as an ex-British agent suspected of involvement in the murder of a former RUC reservist.

David Simpson used Parliamentary privilege to name the prominent Sinn Féin member and to make a series of controversial claims about him being a suspect in the killing of Frederick "Eric" Lutton.

Mr Lutton, a 40-year-old father-of-two - and cousin of Mr Simpson - was a former member of the RUC reserve who was shot dead on May 1, 1979.

Mr Simpson, MP for Upper Bann, also alleged that Mr Molloy was well known to police for "sexual indiscretions" and consequently recruited as an informer.

He accused the Mid Ulster MLA of a "callous disregard for the lives of his neighbours" and said he was speaking out to "ensure that a story that needs to be told is told".

By making his claims in the Commons, Mr Simpson is protected from any possible legal action by Mr Molloy who later accused the MP of abusing parliamentary privilege.

"Like his fellow unionist MPs, I have no doubt David Simpson, being a coward, will not repeat these allegations outside of Westminster," Mr Molloy said in a statement.

"Given this history I would expect all of us, the media included, to approach this latest stunt with extreme caution."

Opening a brief debate on policing in the North, Mr Simpson said police believed Mr Molloy had a role in the murder of Mr Lutton who worked as a caretaker for the National Trust and was killed as he got out of his car to lock the gates of their premises in Moy, Co Armagh.

The IRA claimed responsibility for the killing but no one has ever faced charges.

"While at the family home, investigating officers discussed the case in front of Mr Lutton's wife and his family," Mr Simpson told MPs.

"They identified one, Mr Francie Molloy, as a live suspect having a role in the killing. They discussed the need to pursue a thorough investigation of Mr Molloy. To a man they agreed that this was a vital line of inquiry.

"All of this was discussed openly in front of his wife and his young family.

"Molloy was well known to the police, yet none of this was ever fully investigated."

He continued: "As well as being a suspect in the Lutton case and as well as being known to police, Francie Molloy was also well known, and this information is from the police, for a series of sexual indiscretions.

"He was caught by the security forces in a compromising position. As a result of this he was recruited as an informer for the police."

Mr Simpson claimed Mr Molloy had passed crucial information to the police which helped them "break open" the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade.

"Prior to Molloy's recruitment, the East Tyrone Brigade had been virtually impregnable. After it they suffered setbacks taking direct hits and losing personnel."

Branding Mr Molloy as "less than a willing informer", the MP added: "While he gave over enough information to help compromise the IRA in East Tyrone, the question still lingers as to whether he gave everything he knew.

"How many of Molloy's neighbours lived under threat, were forced out of their homes, attacked, injured, killed or bereaved yet he did nothing?

"Any good that Molloy may have done acting as an informer against the IRA and helping to compromise the East Tyrone Brigade was more than cancelled out by his callous disregard for the lives of his neighbours.

"Today, Francie Molloy is Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"He is also the Sinn Féin spokesman on victims. If ever anyone was wholly unsuitable for such a position on victims, it's Francie Molloy."

Mr Simpson told the House last night: "I have been criticised by some for doing what I am doing here tonight. I want to be perfectly clear. I am taking this step in order to ensure that a story that needs to be told is told.

"The fact that someone like Molloy chose to allow innocent people to die is reprehensible and is why he deserves to be exposed here tonight and I make no apology for it."

Northern Minister Paul Goggins said he could not comment on the detailed allegations.

But he added: "Mr Lutton, as a reservist RUC officer was playing an important role in trying to keep the peace and keep law and order at that time.

"He was one of the 3,368 innocent people who lost their lives during the years of the Troubles needlessly and often in a very violent way.

"All of those deaths have been referred to the historical inquiries team and each will be looked at."

And he insisted: "There is no interference with that process by any external force. That's a policing matter. It's a matter for the historical inquiries team.

"They conduct their inquiries as they see fit and they are perfectly independent and free so to do."

In his statement, Mr Molloy said: "(David) Simpson follows in a long line of unionist MPs who have in the past abused parliamentary privilege to chase headlines regardless of the consequences."

He added: "Unionist death squads in the past never stopped me going about my work representing Sinn Féin and the people who elect me. A unionist MP standing up in the British House of Commons will not succeed in this either.

"I suspect that this stunt has more to do with leadership ripples and positioning going on within the DUP than anything else, and I for one don't intend to be commenting any further on this nonsense."

Two years ago Sinn Féin's Denis Donaldson was exposed as a police agent and later shot dead in Donegal.