Advertisement

"I will never have justice as a result" - Mairia Cahill on the Starmer report

A review into how Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service handled three cases of abus...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.42 22 May 2015


Share this article


"I will never have jus...

"I will never have justice as a result" - Mairia Cahill on the Starmer report

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.42 22 May 2015


Share this article


A review into how Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service handled three cases of abuse against Mairia Cahill and two other women by an IRA member has just been released.

The report was carried out by former Director of Public Prosecutions in England Keir Starmer.  

Mairia Cahill alleges she was raped by an IRA man when she was 16.  The case against her abuser collapsed, and Ms Cahill alleged the Police Service of Northern Ireland failed to adequately investigate the case.

Advertisement

Starmer found the PPS failed around strategic planning, management of the cases, and in communication and consultation with the victims.

This afternoon, Mairia Cahill spoke to Jonathan Healy on Lunchtime about the findings from the report.

She began by stating: "I welcome the fact that the review happened pretty quickly. It is a vindication of myself today.

"I have met the Director this morning and accepted an apology on the behalf of the prosecution service and I think that they will implement recommendations.

"I think it was important for this review to happen. It clearly sets out the different failings along the way in the prosecution service.

"This report shows that we were badly let down as victims and I hope that it never happens again."

Mairia went on to discuss why she had withdrawn her evidence: "Well, there was a failure on behalf of the PPS, and the police it has to be said, to question a particular suspect in the case.  

"Had the subject been questioned, it may have not have led to the collapse of the first case and when the first case collapsed, it then had a domino effect.

"Understandably the other two victims had pulled out long before I did and other witnesses were also lost in the process. The case was then weakened as a result.

On what has been said about whether she is a credible witness, Ms Cahill said: "I want to say to them, and in particular the leading members of Sinn Féin... they need to look at the report in detail.

"They owe myself an apology for the repeated attacks on my credibility over the last seven months."

She finished by stating that she thinks this case is dead: "Yes, I think in relation to criminal prosecutions, yes. He was found, unfortunately not guilty in a court.

"The unfortunate thing for me is I will never have justice as a result."

You can listen to her interview here:

 


Share this article


Read more about

News

Most Popular