Government failure to order public inquiry into Sean Brown murder ‘cannot stand’

Bridie Brown, the wife of Sean Brown, and his daughters Claire Loughran (right) and Siobhan Brown (left) take part in a solidarity vigil outside the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

The UK government’s failure to order a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown in 1997 was unlawful and “cannot stand”, the Court of Appeal in Belfast has ruled.

Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan said she would not make a mandatory order at this point that Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn should establish a statutory inquiry, but has instead given him four weeks to “reflect upon the judgment of the court”.