Sean Brown’s family await outcome of judicial review on public inquiry into his murder

The family of Sean Brown has thanked the people of Derry for supporting the ongoing campaign for a public inquiry into his killing.

Chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA Club, Mr Brown (61) was abducted and murdered by the LVF in May 1997 as he locked the club gates following a meeting.

His daughter Siobhán Brown, said the family was determined to take her father’s case “as far as we can”.

Siobhán and her nephew Damán Brown spoke at a capacity screening of the RTÉ documentary ‘Murder of a GAA Chairman’ in the city’s St Columb’s Hall on Tuesday evening.

In March this year, the coroner conducting Mr Brown’s inquest, Mr Justice Kinney, wrote to then British Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris requesting the public inquiry.

He said Mr Brown’s inquest could not continue due to material being withheld on the grounds of national security.

It emerged earlier in the inquest more than 25 people, including state agents, were linked by intelligence to the murder.

In June, Mr Brown’s widow, Bridie, took a judicial review against the British Secretary of State for not taking a decision on the request made by the coroner.

“The outcome of our judicial review is due on December 5 and 6,” said Siobhán.

“It will recommend a public inquiry but again the British Government will probably step in and appeal it, so then it will go to the Supreme Court. It has just been one thing after another,” she added.

Siobhán also recalled her father working in Derry. “He was an engineering instructor in the training centre in Springtown for quite a number of years, so he would have known a lot of people in the city and they would have known him.”

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Damán said the family had received amazing support “across the world, across the whole of Ireland”.

“It is probably because there is so much of the GAA influence in there and how good a clubman granda was. He was all about the club. He was a true Gael,” he added.

Niall Murphy, solicitor for the Brown family, pictured with some of those who attended the event.

‘Murder of a GAA Chairman’ was directed by journalist Trevor Birney, author of ‘Shooting Crows: Mass Murder, State Collusion and Press Freedom’.

The latter centres on the PSNI’s draconian response to the documentary ‘No Stone Unturned’ about the 1994 Loughinisland Massacre which was made by Mr Birney and fellow journalist Barry McCaffery.

“Tonight is about the family of Sean Brown and their determination to get the truth about what happened to him in 1997,” said Trevor Birney.

“This is about us returning the trust the Brown family gave myself and the filmmakers and the production team.

“They opened up to us and gave of their time. They were so patient, from Bridie right through the whole family,” he added.

“Coming to Derry tonight is part of honouring the commitment we gave to the family to bring the film anywhere we were invited, so more people get a chance to understand what happened to them.

“Not only what happened to Sean and his brutal murder by loyalists back in 1997 but what the British state has done to that family in the many years since, the attempts to withhold, delay, deny all of those things.

“The fact is, this family has had to fight and scrap for every piece of information they have got and that wasn’t because the British State willfully handed it over but it was because the family, their legal team, and the Pat Finucane Centre through Paul O’Connor, have fought hard.

“And really, once again, it was a case of having to drag, kicking and screaming, the PSNI and the British State into court in order to try to get to the truth,” said Mr Birney.

The Emmy-nominated film producer said no matter where it is screened, audiences have a “very emotional response” to ‘Murder of a GAA Chairman’.

He added: “We think the film captures the integrity of the Brown family. How their campaign stands in stark contrast to the actions of the British State in trying to frustrate them.”

The Derry event was well attended. Photos: Peter McKane

Paul O’Connor, director of the Pat Finucane Centre, described the cessation of Sean Brown’s inquest and the coroner’s admission that more than 25 people, including state agents, were involved in his murder as “truly shocking” after 27 years.

He added: “Here we have a senior judge recommending there should be a public inquiry.

“You have the Chief Constable saying he would not stand in the way of a public inquiry and would co-operate with it. And we have the Secretary of State and the spooks whispering in his ear, saying he will not facilitate a public inquiry.”