Survivors of 1992 UVF gun attack settle civil case

By Jonathan McCambridge (Press Association)

The PSNI and Ministry of Defence have settled a civil case brought by eight victims of a loyalist gun attack in 1992.

While the details of the settlement have not been made public, it is understood to involve compensation of several million pounds.

A lawyer representing the victims said they had suffered “severe trauma” due to the shooting.

The attack was at the Thierafurth Inn in Kilcoo.

One man was murdered and three others were seriously wounded.

Peter McCormack, 42, was killed after a UVF gang carried out the shootings during a darts tournament at the pub in November 1992.

A court had previously ruled that the state has failed to carry out an effective human rights compliant investigation into the attack.

The civil case was launched on behalf of a number of the survivors, who suffered physical and mental injuries, and who alleged state collusion in the shooting.

At Belfast High Court on Wednesday, barrister Patrick Lyttle KC said the claims had now been resolved in the cases of eight plaintiffs.

He said one of the terms of settlement was that the defendants would pay the plaintiff’s legal costs.

The barrister told the court he was announcing the settlement on behalf of all of the parties.

Several survivors of the Thierafurth Inn gun attack were at the court, including Patrick Gribben, who was shot several times, and barman John McEvoy.

Solicitor for the victims, Gavin Booth from Phoenix Law said the settlement was a “big deal for families in South Down”.

He said: “It has taken 11 years since the civil proceedings started for us to bring this to court but today is finally an acknowledgement of the hurt, the pain and the trauma they caused these families.”

Mr Booth added: “It is finally an acknowledgement of what happened in 1992. What happened could have been stopped, those persons could have been prosecuted.

“The families have suffered severe trauma.

“Today is about the victims but I want to speak directly to the perpetrators.

“We know who you are, someday we hope that you will be brought before the courts and made answerable for what you done.”

Mr McEvoy said the settlement was a “great victory”.

He said: “We have waited a long time for this, it is 34 years now from the shooting.

“It never goes out of your mind, it is with you all the time.”

“Compensation doesn’t change what happened, it doesn’t change that those that done this are still out there.”

Mr Gribben said he was glad the case was over.

The civil case took 11 years to reach its conclusion.

Lawyer Gavin Booth of Phoenix Law speaking to the media flanked by victims of a UVF gun attack at The Thierafurth Inn in Kilcoo, Co Down in 1992, including John McEvoy (third right) outside the High Court, Belfast, where victims of the attack have settled a civil case against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and MoD. (Mark Marlow/PA Wire)