Northern Ireland

Guildford pub bomb inquests could resume

The Horse and Groom pub in Guilford which was bombed in attack by the IRA in 1974
The Horse and Groom pub in Guilford which was bombed in attack by the IRA in 1974 The Horse and Groom pub in Guilford which was bombed in attack by the IRA in 1974

BELFAST-based solicitors KRW Law may ask for the inquests into the 1974 Guildford pub bombings to be "resumed".

The firm, which represents some of the families involved in the Birmingham bomb inquests, believes the Guildford hearings never closed after the convictions of four people were later quashed.

Five people were killed when bombs were detonated in two pubs by the IRA in the Surrey town.

One of those wrongly convicted was Gerry Conlon, whose story was portrayed in the film In the Name of the Father.

Inquests into the deaths of 21 people killed in the Birmingham pub bombings were reopened last year by a coroner who said "a wealth of evidence" had not been heard.

KRW spokesman Christopher Stanley said there are parallels with the Guildford case.

He said there has never been “an independent investigation into the Guildford pub bombings and a resumed inquest would be a mechanism to investigate in a manner compliant with human rights standards should there be evidence of state failure or collusion”.