Maguire faces appeal over pounds 13,500 award
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.DAVID MCKITTRICK
Government lawyers were last night considering legal moves to overturn the pounds 13,500 compensation award to the convicted IRA terrorist Donna Maguire for an ankle injury.
A political and media storm over the award erupted yesterday. Conservative and Ulster Unionist MPs said the award by a Belfast judge had resulted in a convicted IRA terrorist receiving more for an ankle injury than had the relatives of some of those killed by the IRA.
Colin Parry, who received pounds 7,500 after his 12-year-old son Tim was killed in the 1993 Warrington bombing, called for a review of the compensation system. He said: "It's a kick in the teeth. Every time these judgments come along, it reminds us how little society appears to value a child's life."
Maguire was convicted in 1995 by a German court of the attempted murder of British soldiers in an IRA attack.
She was given a nine-year jail sentence, but was immediately released by a German judge because she had been held in prison for six years while awaiting trial on a number of charges, including murder, in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Photographs showing Mag-uire as a dark attractive woman have led to a flood of publicity concentrating on her over the years, in effect turning her into something of a national figure and a symbol of republicanism. She has attracted headlines such as "IRA's top gun girl".
The compensation award arose from a 1985 incident in Maguire's home town of Newry, Co Down, in which she said she fell after her foot was trapped in a broken paving stone. She told the court: "I have had to give up dancing, jogging and swimming because the ankle swells up. I can't wear high heels and the the ankle is not very stable when I walk on rough ground or gravel." Her ankle is said to be scarred and swollen.
The Tory MP David Wilshire described the award as shocking and obscene and called for a change in the law. The Ulster Unionist MP Ken Maginnis said it was a disgrace.
tTripping claims cost the Northern Ireland authorities in excess of pounds 6m a year.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments