The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2BR
Tel: (028) 9096 1122 Fax: (028) 9024 6706
Website: www.caj.org.uk
Winner of the Council of Europe Human Rights Prize
8 August 2007
The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) today welcomes the findings of the Criminal Justice Inspectorate (CJI) report on the inspection of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for Northern Ireland. “The PPS may be tempted to view this report in a positive light; however, the fact that almost 40 weaknesses have been identified requiring action, some 7 years into the transition process, is a disappointing result. Clearly the PPS still have a long way to go to fulfil their obligations as outlined in the Criminal Justice Review” said Maggie Beirne, Director of CAJ.
Over many years CAJ has highlighted its concerns about the failure of the PPS to explain why prosecutions did not occur in a series of high profile collusion cases including the murder of human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane. “This report vindicates what CAJ has been saying for many years. The report calls for the PPS to give reasons to victims in both past and future cases where prosecutions are not taken or discontinued. This is particularly important where there are allegations of state involvement” said Ms Beirne.
In cases such as the murder of Pat Finucane, the PPS, and its predecessor the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) routinely refused to explain their decisions not to prosecute despite the existence of what appears to have been compelling evidence against individuals - including in the Finucane case, an admission to involvement in the murder. This same policy applied to hundreds of deaths at the hands of the police and army.
It is CAJ’s view that both in relation to past cases involving the conflict and future cases, increased transparency in relation to PPS decision making is vital to secure public confidence in the administration of justice and the rule of law. CAJ is also particularly concerned that seven years after the publication of the Criminal Justice Review, the PPS has yet to open any regional offices west of the Bann. “The purpose of opening regional offices was to provide outreach to communities, however the fact that the only regional offices fully operational are in Lisburn and Ballymena, while there has been delay with proposed offices in Derry, Newry and Omagh, would suggest that the PPS has much to do to gain the confidence of communities across the whole of Northern Ireland,” said Ms Beirne. “In this context we welcome the fact that the Criminal Justice Inspectorate has urged the PPS to complete its regional roll-out of offices as speedily as possible.”