Inquest into 1974 Tyrone killing

AN INQUEST into the death of a Pomeroy man more than 40 years ago will take place in the local area, a Preliminary Hearing has been told.

Patrick McElhone died when he was shot dead by soldiers near his home at Limehill on August 7, 1974.

The inquest is due to take place in November.

The Coroner, Justice Siobhan Keegan, told the Coroner’s Court this week that she intended to use technology including video link appearances to ensure that the proceedings went ahead despite the current coronavirus pandemic.

She gave the Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Foreign Affairs two weeks to address their legal issues.

The Public Prosecution Service has also been given a fortnight to submit a document containing their own legal issues while the Ministry of Defence was ordered to disclose four pages of sensitive material within a week.

Des Fahy represents the family of Mr McElhone, who had special needs and told the court that there could be evidence with the potential to assist the coroner in determining the relative position of a lance corporal and the deceased that would be relevant to the questions to be answered by the inquest.

Mr Fahy went on to say that it could be argued that the position of the Lance Corporal relative to Mr McElhone was closer than may have been the determination of previous legal proceedings. He has sought a preliminary opinion from another expert.

“I wanted to be candid about that and to give all the information, primarily in relation to the position of the spent cartridge relative to the suggested firing position and the point of the entrance wound, what they tell you about the relative firing positions.”

Joseph Aiken QC, who represents a number of the military personnel said his clients were anxious to know that the support would be available to them and that they are entitled to legal advice.