Long and short of the McCabe killers ruling

IN his recent High Court ruling on the challenge against the refusal of the early release application for the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe, Mr Justice Herbert said it made no difference whether the offence was prior or subsequent to the Belfast Agreement.

“The importance lies in the fact that those tried and convicted of such terrible crimes prior to the conclusion of the Belfast Agreement had all served long terms of imprisonment prior to being released, while the persons convicted of the unlawful killing of Det Garda McCabe were seeking to be considered for almost immediate release by invoking the provisions of the Act of 1998”, he said.

Obviously, Mr Justice Herbert did not state the facts correctly as the killer of Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick was released under the Belfast Agreement 16 months after receiving a life sentence in Belfast Crown Court and had only been in prison for a total of three years, including time on remand. Or does the judge consider three years “a long time?”