The High Court in Belfast has ruled that part of the British government’s controversial Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy Act is in breach of European human rights legislation.
The judge, Mr Justice Colton, said he was satisfied that the provisions of the act that offer immunity from Troubles-era prosecutions breached Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The judged added that there was “no evidence that granting immunity under the act would in any way contribute to reconciliation in Northern Ireland”, and the “evidence is to the contrary”.
However, the judge also ruled that new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) set up by the act was capable of making effective investigations and was not in breach of human rights law.
Mr Justice Colton told Belfast High Court: “I fully understand the opposition to the new scheme and the reasons for it.
“That said, I cannot at this remove say the system established under the Act cannot provide an article 2 and 3 compliant investigation.
“It has wide powers and wide range of discretion to carry out its reviews. Should it fall short of its obligations on articles 2 and 3, I have no doubt they will be subject to the scrutiny of the court.”
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A legal challenge was mounted by a number of victims’ relatives against the act, which aims to end Troubles-related prosecutions and brings in a conditional amnesty for suspects, provided they cooperate with the ICRIR.
Four people had challenged the human rights compliance of the act, including its denial of inquests, lack of adequate investigations and ban on civil proceedings.
Martina Dillon’s 45-year-old husband Seamus was shot dead in loyalist gun attack at the Glengannon Hotel in Dungannon, Co Tyrone in 1997.
John McEvoy survived another loyalist gun attack in Kilcoo, Co Down in 1992, in which another man died.
Lynda McManus’s father James was injured in the notorious Sean Graham bookies massacre, also in 1992. That was carried out by the loyalist UDA group.
Brigid Hughes lost her husband Anthony, an innocent civilian who was killed by the SAS as they shot dead eight IRA members in Loughgall in 1987.
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Lawyers expect appeals in the case, which could be brought all the way to the Supreme Court and could take several years to exhaust.
What is the Troubles Legacy Act?
3,500 people died in a bloody period of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland from around 1968 to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, in what was known as The Troubles.
The British government’s Legacy Act, or to give it its full title, the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, came into effect in September 2023. It was opposed by all the parties in Northern Ireland, as well as the Irish government. It will end future litigation and inquests into Troubles-era deaths, in what London says is an effort to draw a line under the violence of the past.
Conditional amnesty will instead be offered to those who reveal information about the incidents to a new truth recovery body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
But many in Northern Ireland say the denial of future prosecutions is a breach of human rights, which the British government refutes.
In December, Ireland announced that it was taking legal action against the UK in the European Court of Human Rights, for only the second time in 50 years. The Irish government said it had received legal advice that the new UK law was in breach of international human rights legislation, and the move was being taken “with regret”.
It has severely strained Anglo-Irish diplomatic relations, which may improve if a Labour government is elected at the next election. Party leader Keir Starmer has vowed to repeal the controversial legislation.
A man has died after suffering cardiac arrest onboard a boat attempting to reach the UK.
The vessel turned back towards Equihen beach on the French coast yesterday morning.
A nurse tried to resuscitate the man but was unsuccessful.
Image: Pic: PA
French authorities have now launched an investigation into the circumstances.
A spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, has criticised authorities on both sides of the Channel.
Jacob Burns said: “Yet again we have a tragedy in the Channel, that is the consequence of the deadly, costly and ineffective security policies implemented by the UK and France.”
Image: Pic: PA
Later on Saturday, a lifeboat carried migrants who have made the voyage into the Port of Dover.
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Photographs showed them huddled under blankets and orange life jackets on board.
“The opportunity of tomorrow and what’s on offer is the best thing in football,” the England captain said. “I think we don’t necessarily carry the weight of it and how much it means to people, but we’re aware of it because it means the same to us.”
So often they were only watching other nations making finals.
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England’s first was the men winning the 1966 World Cup.
Image: England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to defeat against Spain at the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. Pic: Reuters
Image: Lauren James looks dejected after their World Cup defeat, but is confirmed fit for Sunday’s revenge match against Spain. Pic: Reuters
Now, in Basel, comes the chance for revenge against Spain – even though no one in the England camp is saying that, publicly at least, in Switzerland.
Especially knowing how challenging a task it is coming up again against Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putella – the recent winners of football’s biggest individual honours.
Image: England fans celebrating after England beat Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Given England’s history against Spain, it could be a nerve-wracking time for England fans. File pic: Action Images/Reuters
But this is Spain’s first Euros final.
And there is some fear from the world champions at England’s grit and resolve to produce comebacks late in the quarter-finals and semi-finals – with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang’s goals integral to the fightbacks.
Image: England celebrate their semi-final win against Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters
Image: Michelle Agyemang has propelled England to the Euro 2025 final with two vital goals. Pic: AP
Spain captain Irene Paredes reflected yesterday on how the Lionesses can flip a result late on.
But she was also discussing how their World Cup win was tarnished by the on-pitch kiss that led to former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales being convicted of a sexual assault on striker Jenni Hermoso.
It sparked a wider clamour in Spain for improved rights and respect for women.
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Spain’s players struggle for respect
“Since then [2023] we took big steps forward,” Paredes said.
“I think this idea is disappearing from society. I still believe we have to continue opening doors… we’re a reference for boys and girls in society, but we still have things to do.”
It is a reminder that while tonight is about collecting silverware, both England and Spain know that emerging as champions can drive further growth in women’s football back home.
Amid it all, they’ll try to savour just what reaching a final means and how rare they are – until recently for English and Spanish women.
A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.
Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.
She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.
Image: Nicola Fairley
“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.
“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”
Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.
Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.
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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”
Image: Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product
It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.
Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.
Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.
It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.
The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.
The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.
The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.
There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.
But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.
Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.
Image: Dr Steven Land
‘It’s the Wild West’
Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.
He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.
“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.
“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.
“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”