A LOYALIST death threat meant that a man accused of the murder of Margaret Wright in Belfast three years ago had to contest his trial with "one hand behind his back, if not two," the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal heard yesterday.
The plea was made by a defence lawyer on the opening day of appeals by Stephen Rules (31), of Donegall Avenue, Belfast, and Christopher Sheals (30), of Dorchester Crescent, Glengormley, Co Antrim.
They were convicted in December 1995 of murdering Ms Wright, a 31-year-old Protestant, in a band-hall controlled by the Red Hand Commando, an outlawed loyalist organisation. She was shot because her killers thought she was a Catholic.
Two men were later shot dead by the Red Hand Commando because of their alleged part in the murder and at the subsequent trial of others the organisation issued a threat: "Plead guilty or else..."
Rules pleaded guilty but Sheals pleaded not guilty. Both were convicted by Lord Justice Nicholson and jailed for life.
Mr Tony Cinnamond QC, for Rules, told the three appeal judges the death threat at the trial meant he was not legally represented and could not give evidence. He said that apart from a single bloodstain on his jeans, there was no other evidence to convict him of murder.
It was Rules's contention, said Mr Cinnamond, that Margaret Wright was already dead when he saw her lying on the floor of a small storeroom.
"The blood got on to his clothes while her body was being removed and that makes him guilty of the much lesser charge of assisting offenders," said Mr Cinnamond.
The appeal is being heard by the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, Lord Justice MacDermott and Lord Justice McCollum.