In the matter of an Inquest into the deaths of Lawrence Joseph McNally, Anthony Patrick Doris and Michael James Ryan (Ruling on application by XX to revoke section 17A Notice
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Judge | Humphreys J |
| Neutral Citation | [2022] NICoroner 6 |
| Court | Coroners Court (NI) |
| Date | 20 October 2022 |
1
Neutral Citation No: [2022] NICoroner 6
Judgment: approved by the court for handing down
(subject to editorial corrections)*
Ref: HUM11966
Delivered: 20/10/2022
IN THE CORONER’S COURT IN NORTHERN IRELAND
___________
IN THE MATTER OF AN INQUEST INTO THE DEATHS OF
LAWRENCE JOSEPH McNALLY, ANTHONY PATRICK DORIS
AND MICHAEL JAMES RYAN
___________
RULING ON APPLICATION BY XX TO REVOKE SECTION 17A NOTICE
___________
HUMPHREYS J
Introduction
[1] This is an application by XX, pursuant to section 17A(4) of the Coroners Act
(Northern Ireland) 1959 (‘the 1959 Act’), to revoke a notice served on him on
5 October 2022 requiring him to provide the identities of police officers known as T,
F and L.
[2] The notice was served in the context of the ongoing inquest proceedings in
relation to the deaths of three individuals, Lawrence McNally, Tony Doris and
Michael Ryan at Coagh on 3 June 1991.
[3] Between 2011 and 2016 XX undertook academic research which resulted in
the award of a PhD by St Andrews University, the thesis being entitled “Tir Eoghain
Rebellion, a local war: a study of insurgency and counter-insurgency in post-1969 County
Tyrone, Northern Ireland.”
[4] This research included interviews with various participants and observers,
these being conducted on a confidential basis. The interviewees remained
anonymous, and the tapes created were destroyed. The thesis itself is effectively
embargoed until 2066, being held securely by the university and the author’s
solicitors.
[5] Three of the interviewees, T, F and L, referred to the events at Coagh, and it is
their identities which were the subject of the notice served under section 17A of the
1959 Act. T has identified himself as P19, a Detective Inspector who played a role in
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