DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER ATTENDS HEARING ON BEHALF OF PRICE
DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness has attended a hearing by Parole Commissioners on behalf of Marian Price who was sent back to jail after her licence was revoked for IRA offences in England 40 years ago.
Then Secretary of State Owen Patterson revoked her life sentence licence after Price was charged over a dissident republican rally in Derry’s City Cemetery in Easter 2011. She is also facing separate charges of providing a mobile phone for a terrorist purpose in March 2009 shortly before two soldiers were shot dead at Massereene barracks in Antrim. The 58-year-old is now under armed guard at Belfast City Hospital where she is being treated for depression, arthritis and lung problems. Last month she was granted three hours ‘ compassionate bail to attend the wake of her sister Dolours, who along with Marian Price – whose married name is McGlinchey – and MLA Gerry Kelly – was part of an IRA unit which bombed London in 1973.
Yesterday, at a closed court in the Laganside complex in Belfast, Parole Commissioners listened to submissions from Marian Price’s lawyers who argued that she should be released. A spokesman for the commissioners said they could not make any comment on the hearing. As he left the court, Mr McGuinness also said he could not say anything about what happened behind closed doors. It is understood he visited Price in hospital yesterday morning. It is not known when the commissioners will make their ruling on Price’s case.
