Northern Ireland

Family of Co Down teen murdered 43 years ago call for killers to 'tell us the truth'

Francis Rice was killed in May 1975. Picture by BBC
Francis Rice was killed in May 1975. Picture by BBC Francis Rice was killed in May 1975. Picture by BBC

THE family of a teenager murdered in Co Down more than 40 years ago have told of their hope that one day those responsible will "tell us the truth".

Francis Rice (17) was abducted and killed in Castlewellan in May 1975. While three people were jailed for the killing, doubt has recently been cast on their convictions.

A BBC Spotlight NI investigation raised doubts over whether Eric and Cyril Cullen and George Kirkpatrick, who served 14 years for the killing, were responsible.

The murder was believed to have been carried out by paramilitaries, but none of those jailed were paramilitaries.

The programme said the only real evidence against them was their confessions, which they claimed were pressured out of them by RUC detectives.

It also found some of the detectives later went on to be found to be lying under oath in another case - that of the 'UDR Four' - in 1986.

BBC Spotlight also revealed other concerns relating to the murder and the convictions, including the evidence of witnesses who saw two strangers in Castlewellan on the night of the killing, whom police said were seen following Mr Rice.

These mystery men were the chief suspects but neither matched the description of the Cullens or Kirkpatrick, but this evidence is not believed to have been examined at the men's trial.

But Mr Rice's family have hit out at the recent revelations and have taken issue with comments by politicians about the Spotlight allegations.

In a letter published in the Mourne Observer newspaper, relatives described how they have suffered "43 years of silent suffering since our son and brother was brutally murdered".

"We were sentenced to life imprisonment when our child was taken from us against God's wishes," they said.

"We will not get out for good behaviour. We did not get out early for the Good Friday Agreement. We did not get out early after 14 years.

"We are locked up forever while we remain on this earth and we watched with great joy on the TV as the young Thai football team were rescued from that underground cave, some of the boys just a year younger than Francis.

"We watched young Billy Caldwell get his medical cannabis to help his body survive and little Sophia Gibson getting her proper medication to help her live.

"All have one thing in common, people from all over the world wanted to help these young people, no matter what the cost, some even with no thought for their own lives.

"No one could come to help Francis. He was condemned to death weeks before."

The family added: "Maybe one day one of them will come to our door in confidence and tell us the truth.

"We have no doubt we will feel better and so will you."