Appeals to revoke UVF killer Garfield Beattie’s prison licence

AN Omagh barrister has described the circumstance around the decision not to revoke UVF murderer Garfield’s Beattie’s licence as “stark and disturbing”.

In December last year Beattie was jailed for 17 months after being convicted of attempting to intimidate the daughter of one of his victims, Mid Ulster councillor Denise Mullen. He had sent Ms Mullen a letter signed by the ‘East Tyrone Ulster Volunteer Force.’

Beattie of Moss Road, Portadown, served 16 years in jail for three killings carried out by the Glenanne gang, a notorious Loyalist unit that operated at the height of the Troubles. Denis Mullen was gunned down at his home near Moy, in 1975. He also murdered Patrick McNiece in Co Armagh a year later.

Ms Mullen and Mr McNiece’s son, John, have pressed for his life sentence licence to be revoked. However earlier this year the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Panel decided against ordering his recall.

Lawyers for the relatives claim it was wrong not to refer Beattie’s case to the Parole Commissioners.

When the case came before the High Court last week. Ms Mullen’s barrister, Des Fahy KC, described the circumstances as “stark and disturbing.”

The court was also told Beattie behaved ‘egregiously’ by targeting Denise Mullen in correspondence purported to come from the same paramilitary organisation that murdered her father. Failing to revoke his licence was ‘unlawful and unreasonable’ the court heard.

Tony McGleenan KC, responding, argued that safeguarding mechanism within the life sentences order were deployed by relevant agencies at each stage of the process.

Mr Justice Colton reserved judgment.