Ombudsman probes Derry torture claims
By Paddy McGuffin
29 September 2005
The Police Ombudsman’s office today confirmed that it is to investigate allegations of torture against the Derry RUC dating back to 1979.
Four teenagers from Creggan were charged at that time with the murder of a young soldier. Evidence against them consisted of signed confessions to this and numerous other crimes.
Michael Toner, Gerry McGowan, Stephen Crumlish and Gerard Kelly were interrogated for three days and nights at Strand Road station without legal representation.
The four allege they were beaten and mentally and physically tortured to force them to sign false confessions.
They were charged with murder and spent seven weeks on remand in the Crumlin Road prison, being granted bail in an unprecedented move.
Gerry McGowan was even allowed to travel to England to play football.
When the four realised they were facing life behind bars they fled over the border and remained on the run, although living openly in the Republic, for the next 20 years.
In 1999 the case against them was dropped by the DPP.
Supporters argue that this, coupled with the granting of bail, indicates that the RUC always knew they were innocent.
**Comment below is from Gerry McGowan and reads as follows:
“THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING OUR CASE. CAN I JUST MAKE ONE CORRECTION.I WAS ALLOWED TO TRAVEL TO SCOTLAND WHERE I WAS ARRESTED AND EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO THE NORTH-BUT NOT B4 THEY SUGGESTED I BECOME A SUPERGRASS”.
THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING OUR CASE. CAN I JUST MAKE ONE CORRECTION.I WAS ALLOWED TO TRAVEL TO SCOTLAND WHERE I WAS ARRESTED AND EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO THE NORTH-BUT NOT B4 THEY SUGGESTED I BECOME A SUPERGRASS
Comment by GERRY MC GOWAN — 4/1/2006 @ 3:57 am