Price too ill to stand trial

Published Thursday, 27 September 2012
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Former hunger striker Marian Price is too ill to stand trial, United Nations doctors have told a Londonderry court.

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The 58-year-old who is accused of helping to organise and supporting a Real IRA rally, was due to appear in court on Thursday, instead she remained in a prison hospital where she is seriously ill.

During last year's Easter rally Price, who had been granted early release under the Good Friday Agreement, was seen holding a speech for a member of the Real IRA.

Then-Secretary of State Owen Paterson revoked her licence and returned Price, who is also known by her married name Marian McGlinchey, to prison alongside three other men from Derry.

Although the charges against the Old Bailey bomber were struck out by a Magistrate they were reinstated by the PPS and Price, Marvin Canning, Paddy McDaid and Frankie Quigley were expected to appear at Bishop Street Court house on Thursday.

But a lawyer for Price told the court that she had been examined by the doctors for the defence, the Prison Service and the United Nations, who all agreed that she was so unwell she was incapable of taking part effectively in any legal proceedings.

He added that her illness could result in Price giving inaccurate information to her own lawyers, who are calling for the charges against the accused to be struck out.

The Public Prosecution Service has been given three weeks to respond to the calls that there has been an unreasonable delay in bringing Price's case before the court.

Outside the courthouse supporters campaigned for Price's release, while Sinn Féin and SDLP have also joined the campaign to free Price, stating that her continued detention is unjustifiable.

Sinn Féin MLA Jennifer McCann said, "It is clear once again that Marian Price is unfit to stand trial and should be released immediately.

"There should be no delay as her further detention is an affront to natural justice."

© UTV News
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2 Comments
Daithi MacEoghain in N. Antrim wrote (234 days ago):
Marian was not released under the GFA, she was given a royal prerogative of mercy in 1980 which wiped her sentence because she was too ill this is granted by the queen. The government now say they can't find the document stating this, the first time they have ever lost this type of document. Marian now has e coli in her lungs to go with her already very poor health, this combined with the mental torture of practically being in solitude for months on end.
bob in belfast wrote (235 days ago):
she didnt seem to ill when she was helping a terrorist read a statement , so much for sinn fein and peace , calling for the release of dissident republicans
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