McIlveen sentences not tough enough: Orde
The Chief Constable is to ask for the sentences handed down to the Protestant gang who beat a Catholic schoolboy to death to be raised with the Attorney General.
There was a barrage of criticism from the family of 15-year-old Michael McIlveenover the length of the sentences given to those responsible for the attack.
While the four men guilty of the murder in Ballymena three years ago were given life sentences at Antrim Crown Court last week, the longest any of them will have to serve before being considered for release is 13 years.
But in an unusual step the Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde (pictured) has said he will write to the head of the prosecution service to ask if the case should be raised with the Attorney General.
“I fully understand, as do my senior colleagues, the family’s concern in relation to the tariff, and which I understand is being examined by the Public Prosecution Service,” Sir Hugh told the Policing Board.
“I am writing to the director to seek an assessment as to whether the matter should be raised with the Attorney General in relation to a review of the length of sentence in some of those matters.
“Of course, the decision is entirely a matter for the director, but I am very clear that such a brutal and violent and unprovoked attack that leads to the death of an innocent young man should receive an appropriate and, indeed, a severe sentence.”
Another man convicted of the teenager’s manslaughter was given a three-year suspended sentence. Two others were sentenced over the attack, with one given 10 months for affray and criminal damage and the other a conditional discharge for criminal damage.
Michael, known to friends and family as ‘Mickybo’, was punched, kicked and beaten with a baseball bat in an alleyway after a row involving a group of Protestant teenagers in May 2006.
He died hours later in hospital.
After last week’s court hearing, Michael’s sister Jodie, supported by her mother Gina, said the family was deeply disappointed by the decisions.
“The McIlveen family are unhappy with the sentences imposed today which we feel were too lenient,” she said. “We all believe that life should mean life.”
Earlier this year Aaron Wallace (21) of Moat Road, Ballymena, Christopher Kerr (22) of Carnduff Drive in the town, and Jeff Lewis (20) of Rossdale, also in the town, were found guilty of his murder.
At the start of the trial Mervyn Moon (20) of Douglas Terrace, Ballymena, pleaded guilty to the murder. It was he who used the baseball bat to attack the teenager.
They were sentenced to life imprisonment, but the highest minimum tariff — the time to be served before being considered for release — was handed to Kerr, who the judge said had shown no remorse for his actions.
Wallace and Lewis were given 11-year tariffs. Lewis was also given an additional month in prison for a charge of criminal damage. The court gave Moon credit for his timely plea of guilty and because he had shown clear and genuine remorse for his actions. He was given a 10-year minimum tariff.
