Republican prisoner Brendan Lillis will not be released
Republican prisoner Brendan Lillis will not be released on compassionate grounds, the Life Sentence Review Commission has decided.
Mr Lillis, who suffers from a severe arthritic condition, was sentenced to life in 1977 on explosives charges.
The 59-year-old served almost 16 years of that sentence before being released on licence in 1993.
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward revoked this in 2009 after Mr Lillis was re-arrested on robbery charges.
The reason given was that he was “a danger to the public” and was told he would have to serve the rest of his original life sentence at Maghaberry Prison.
Earlier this year, it was decided Mr Lillis was too ill to stand trial, although he could face charges if his health improves.
Sinn Fein MLA Jennifer McCann called Tuesday’s decision “wrong” and said she would be raising the issue during a meeting with Justice Minister David Ford on Wednesday.
“This man is seriously ill, too ill indeed to stand trial. How can someone be a danger to the public when they are unfit to attend a court?” she said.
On 19 July, the Prison Service said there were not sufficient grounds to justify his release on compassionate grounds. The case was then passed for consideration by the parole commissioners.
There were a number of campaigns calling for his release this month. A motion was passed at Derry City Council and a protest camp was set up in Londonderry.
His partner, Roisin Lynch, also began a hunger strike on 21 July in protest at his continued imprisonment.
