McKeown's (Clifford) Application and in the matter of a decision of The Sentence Review Commissioners for Northern Ireland
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Judge | Scoffield J |
| Judgment Date | 28 October 2022 |
| Neutral Citation | [2022] NIKB 23 |
| Date | 28 October 2022 |
| Court | King's Bench Division (Northern Ireland) |
1
Neutral Citation No: [2022] NIKB 23
Judgment: approved by the court for handing down
(subject to editorial corrections)*
Ref: SCO11981
ICOS No: 22/015911/01
Delivered: 28/10/2022
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND
___________
KING’S BENCH DIVISION
(JUDICIAL REVIEW)
___________
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION BY
CLIFFORD McKEOWN FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW
AND IN THE MATTER OF A DECISION OF THE
SENTENCE REVIEW COMMISSIONERS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
___________
Steven J McQuitty (instructed by Richard Monteith, Solicitors) for the applicant
Philip McAteer (instructed by Carson McDowell LLP) for the respondents
___________
SCOFFIELD J
Introduction
[1] By these proceedings the applicant, a life sentence prisoner, seeks judicial
review of a decision of the Sentence Review Commissioners (SRC) (“the
Commissioners”) made on 26 November 2021, whereby they refused his application
for a declaration for eligibility for release under section 3 of the Northern Ireland
(Sentences) Act 1998 (“the 1998 Act”).
[2] The applicant was represented by Mr McQuitty; and the respondents by
Mr McAteer. I am grateful to both counsel for their helpful written and oral
submissions.
Factual Background
[3] The applicant was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in
March 2003 for killing Michael John McGoldrick on 6 July 1996. He was given a 24
year minimum tariff; and he has now served over 22 years of this period. The
applicant applied for early release to the SRC in September 2010 and was refused a
declaration of eligibility for release in August 2012. He applied again in 2014; but his
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