McDonnell’s (Elizabeth) Application
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Judge | Treacy J |
| Judgment Date | 15 May 2014 |
| Neutral Citation | [2014] NIQB 66 |
| Court | Queen's Bench Division (Northern Ireland) |
| Docket Number | TRE9283 |
| Date | 15 May 2014 |
1
Neutral Citation No: [2014] NIQB 66 Ref:
TRE9283
Judgment: approved by the Court for handing down Delivered:
15/05/2014
(subject to editorial corrections)*
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND
________
QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION (JUDICIAL REVIEW)
________
McDonnell’s (Elizabeth) Application [2014] NIQB 66
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION BY ELIZABETH McDONNELL
FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW
AND
IN THE MATTER OF DECISIONS OF THE SENIOR CORONER CONCERNING
THE INQUEST TOUCHING ON THE DEATH OF JAMES McDONNELL
________
TREACY J
Introduction
[1] By this application the applicant challenges decisions taken by the Senior
Coroner in connection with the anonymity and screening of certain prison service
witnesses at the inquest touching the death of James McDonnell. There are two
decisions involved. The first is the decision to grant anonymity and screening to all
prison service witnesses who applied for those measures. This decision was made
finally on 17 April 2013. The second is the decision taken after the inquest that the
Coroner is functus officio for the purposes of reviewing whether or not the anonymity
decision should remain in place. That decision was communicated by letter dated
15 August 2013.
Background
[2] The background to the death of James McDonnell is outlined in detail in the
open affidavit of Padraig O’Muirigh. In summary, Mr O’Donnell died in prison on
30 March 1996 after suffering a heart attack. He had, a short time earlier, been
subject to a control and restraint procedure by Prison Officers. At post mortem he
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