The UK Government has been ordered to hold a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown by a judge in NI

The UK Government has been ordered to hold a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown by a judge in Northern Ireland.

It comes months after the Government said it will not order a public inquiry into the abduction and killing of the 61-year-old as he locked the gates at Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Club in Co Derry in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his murder.

Mr Brown’s family took a judicial review of the Government’s decision not to hold an inquiry.

In his judgment on Tuesday, Mr Justice Michael Humphreys told the court in Belfast: “I’ve concluded that there is a clear and unambiguous obligation on the State to carry out an Article 2 compliant investigation. No viable alternative to a public inquiry has been advanced. In these circumstances, there can be only one lawful answer, a public inquiry must be convened to satisfy the state’s Article 2 obligation.

“The breach of duty in the circumstances of this case, bearing in mind the rule of law, is such as the call for the grant of mandatory relief to compel the State to fulfil its clear legal duty.”

He concluded: “I therefore make an order of mandamus compelling the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn) to cause a public inquiry to be held under the Inquiries Act 2005 into the death of Sean Brown on the 12th of May, 1997.”