Murder trial cost £571,000 to police
POLICING at the Massereene trial – which saw one man found guilty of the murder of two soldiers as they were collecting pizzas outside their Antrim Army base in March 2009 – cost almost £600,000.
A life sentence was handed down to Magherafelt man Brian Shivers while prominent republican Colin Duffy – who was also charged with the murders of Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21 – walked free from court after he was acquitted.
The young soldiers, along with their colleagues from the 38 Engineers regiment, were due to be deployed to Afghanistan early the next day.
Duffy and Shivers both denied all the charges against them throughout their trial.
The gun attack – which was followed two days later by the shooting dead of PSNI officer Stephen Carroll in Craigavon – was later claimed by the Real IRA.
Following a Freedom of Information request to the PSNI, the News Letter can reveal that the estimated overt costs of policing the Massereene trial are £571,568.
In their response the PSNI said: “The PSNI are unable to provide a total cost of policing the Massereene trial as this is a subjective issue. I have, however, been advised that at present the estimated overt costs of policing the Massereene trial were £571,568.
“Fifty per cent of these costs were attributable to duty time and 50 per cent to police overtime.”
On November 7, 2011, Duffy and Shivers went on trial over the Massereene murders in Belfast Crown court sitting in Antrim.
On January 20, 2012, Duffy was found not guilty while Shivers was found guilty of the murders.
UUP justice spokesman Tom Elliott said: “I just believe that dissidents are determined in whatever way they can to finish Northern Ireland. It is an absolute disgrace.
“And clearly it is a disgrace that the security services in Northern Ireland had to spend that much to police the trial.
“But obviously the security services perceived or were aware of a very high threat level or they would not have needed that level of security. Clearly the threats were there and the police responded to that threat assessment.”
DUP security spokesman Jeffrey Donaldson said: “While it was absolutely essential to ensure there was adequate security for this trial it is nevertheless disappointing that so much has to be spent on this type of security when it is much needed to deliver other aspects of policing.
“We constantly hear criticism of the cost of policing parades for example when there is the threat of violence against those who choose to exercise the right to parade.
“I wonder if the same critics will be as vocal in criticising the cost of policing this trial when the threat comes from dissident republicans?”
