Ronald Appleton
Ronald Appleton | |
---|---|
Born | Ronald Appleton 29 December 1927 |
Occupation | Former Chief Crown Prosecution for Northern Ireland |
Years active | 1951–1999 |
Ronald Appleton KC, (born 29 December 1927) is the former chief crown prosecutor (Senior Crown Counsel) for Northern Ireland, a post he held for 22 years, a period that spanned the Northern Ireland 'Troubles'. Having established a broad civil practice as a QC he became one of the most experienced terrorism trial lawyers in the UK.[1] As senior counsel he led for the Crown in many of the major murder and terrorism cases during those years. Martin Dillon, in his book on the Shankill Butchers trial described Ronald Appleton as "one of the outstanding lawyers of his generation".[2]
Posts held
Posts held by Appleton include King's Counsel (appointed 1969), Senior Crown Prosecutor for Northern Ireland (1977-1999), Father of the Bar, founder and chairman of Pro Bono Society, Committee for Holocaust Remembrance, president of Belfast Hebrew Congregation, co-chair Council of Christians and Jews and founder and president of Thanksgiving Square.[citation needed]
Background and family
Appleton was born in
He attended Skegoniel Primary School and Belfast High School (where he later served as school governor). He obtained his law degree at Queen's University Belfast and was also head of the University Socialist Society.
He worked as a barrister acting for the defence in criminal trials - including in a number of capital cases. These include the trial following the murder of Constable Victor Arbuckle, the first policeman to be killed in the Northern Ireland Troubles.
Ronald Appleton married Shoshana (née Schmidt) in 1963 in Tel Aviv, Israel. They have five children.[3]
Notable trials
Maxwell v. Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland
Maxwell is a leading case dealing with the mens rea of accomplices in joint enterprise cases. It establishes that an accomplice can be convicted as a principal to a crime even if the role was subordinate.
The case was heard at the
Michael Stone
Ronald Appleton was the
Corporals Killings
The burial of Caoimhiin Mac Brádaigh (Kevin Brady), an IRA member killed in the
In April 1989, the first of 5 trials for the murder of Corporals Derek Wood and Robert Howes, often referred to as the Corporals killings, was held. Henry Maguire and Alex Murphy denied a total of nine charges including the assault, causing of grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment and murder of the corporals. Ronald Appleton, QC, for prosecution said that it was the Crown's case that Maguire and Murphy "were part of a smaller crowd...that were engaged in a joint enterprise to kill".[9]
Initial evidence highlighted Ronald Appleton included bloodstains on the defendants at the time of arrest that matched the soldiers' and fibres found on the two at arrest matched that of the clothes the corporals were wearing. Ronald Appleton concluded "this defendant had at least been in close contact with the soldiers". Video footage of the event was obtained from a British Army helicopter allegedly showed that both of the accused were part of a small group including 3 others. 11 witnesses who had been shown the video identified Murphy and Maguire. Due to the amount and quality of evidence against the defendants, Ronald Appleton claimed that the court would come to the "irresistible inference" that the accused were guilty.[9]
Murphy and Maguire were never accused of shooting the corporals.[9] Henry Maguire and Alex Murphy were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.[clarification needed] A further 83 years for Murphy and 79 years for Maguire were given for grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment of the soldiers as well as possession of a gun and ammunition.[10]
Dominic McGlinchey
Ronald Appleton represented the crown in the extradition and at the later trial of Dominic McGlinchey[11] for the murder of the postmistress Hester McMullan.[12]
DeLorean Motor Company Fraud
In April 1992, Frederick Bushell, former chairman of the British Lotus Luxury car firm was first put on trial for his role in defrauding up to $17.5 million over a four-year period ending December 1982.[13]
Bushell admitted his criminal involvement with DeLorean Motor Company and Lotus Cars founders, John DeLorean and Colin Chapman, respectively. However, due to John DeLorean's residence in the US and the death of Colin Chapman, Bushell stood alone in the docks.[13]
Bushell's counsel, Desmond Boal KC, requested six weeks to put his affairs in order, suggesting that it was also in public interest. Ronald Appleton agreed that Bushell should be given some time however unsuccessfully argued that the time requested was too much. Bushell was given six weeks to get his affairs in order, in which time bail was set at £50,000.[13]
Lotus was called to develop DeLorean's prototype car for $17.65 million to which the company board was talked into paying in advance. This money was never used for development and instead was siphoned through a Geneva-based company set up a year prior by Chapman and Bushell. Of the total amount $8.5m went to DeLorean, $7.5 to Chapman and $848,000 to Bushell. "Not a penny went to the development work"[14]
Frederick Bushell was sentenced to three years imprisonment, taking into consideration his guilty plea and his recent triple
Arbuckle Murder
Constable Victor Arbuckle, a member of the
The trial first commenced in June 1970. However, it was found that the route taken by the coach driver driving the jury to and from the court passed areas of the Shankill road that were integral to the case. Due to this, two defendants applied for discharge of jury. Justice McGonigal agreed that if there was a risk of a "miscarriage of justice" he must not take the risk and thus dismissed the trial.[17]
The retrial began in October 1970. It became apparent during proceedings that crown witnesses had been confronted outside of court. As a result, Justice McGonigal warned the court that any threats made to any witnesses would "be met with the most severe punishment which the court could impose".[18]
Thomas Roundtree, Ernest Bell and William Duncan were all found not guilty for the Capital Murder of Victor Arbuckle, however 1 week later they were found guilty of armed offences carrying sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years.[19]
La Mon House Hotel Bombing
On 17 February 1978 an incendiary bomb was placed and detonated in the La Mon House Hotel, Belfast, killing 12 people in "a fireball 60 feet wide and 40 feet high".[20] Two men were tried in connection with the bombing: Edward Brophy and Robert Murphy.
Edward Manning Brophy pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of murder as well as 37 other charges including IRA membership and the causing of 11 other explosions in
Shankill Butchers Killings
The Shankill Butchers was an Ulster loyalist gang—many of whom were members of the
Shankill Road Bombing
A bomb planted on the Shankill Road in October 1993 resulted in the death of 10 people. Many others were seriously injured. Ronald Appleton, for the prosecution in the trial of the surviving bomber Sean Kelly, told Belfast Crown Court that witnesses had seen Mr Kelly and Begley, dressed in white coats and hats, carrying a box into the fishmonger's. As Begley set down the box it exploded.[23]
Other work
Thanksgiving Square
Ronald Appleton was a founder and President of Thanksgiving Square, a charitable organisation set up to create a place of reflection in Belfast in the aftermath of the Troubles. After several year, the space was founded in Thanksgiving Square on the bank of the River Lagan at Lanyon Place. There they commissioned and built a 17 metres (56 ft) high statue, by the Scottish Sculptor Andy Scott.[citation needed]
Jewish causes
When the British Government announced the founding of a
Ronald Appleton was the President of the
Northern Ireland Lawyers Pro Bono Unit
Ronald Appleton was the first chairman of the lawyers Pro Bono Unit in Northern Ireland. The Pro Bono Unit was set up to provide advice and representation by barristers and solicitors who have volunteered to join the Scheme Panel, providing a range of legal services without charge.
References
- ^ "John Creaney: Senior counsel in Northern Ireland who prosecuted many terrorists during the Troubles". Telegraph. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9781409065227.
- ^ "Home". The Irish Catholic.
- ^ "Maxwell v DPP". Vanuatu.usp.ac.fj. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ “The calm, slight figure in the dock”. (February 21, 1989). Irish Independent, pp. 10
- ^ “Man boasted of cemetery killings, court told”. (February 21, 1989). The Irish Times, pp. 8
- ^ “Two deny murdering soldiers at funeral”. (April 5, 1989). The Irish Times, pp. 10
- ^ “Brutal Killings on film”. (April 5, 1989). Irish Press, pp.13
- ^ a b c “Murder video shows accused, court told”. (April 6, 1989). The Irish Times, pp. 10
- ^ Linklater, Magnus. "Fair, firm and unclubbable. The judge who could bring about the fall of Tony Blair". The Times, 24 January 2004
- ^ "Obituary: Dominic McGlinchey". Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ "The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas · Page 43". Newspapers.com. 25 December 1984. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ a b c “Former Lotus chairman admits plot to defraud De Lorean”. (May 1, 1992). The Irish Times, pp. 2
- ^ a b “Car chief in ‘outrageous’ De Lorean fraud jailed”. (June 20, 1992). Irish Independent, pp. 3
- ^ "CAIN: Violence: List of Significant Violent Incidents". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ “Further evidence in Arbuckle case in absence of jury”. (6 October 1970). The Irish Times, pp. 7
- ^ “Jury discharged in murder trial: saw shooting scene” (June 18, 1970). The Irish Times, pp. 5
- ^ “Arbuckle murder case warning. Intimidation of crown witnesses alleged.” (3 October 1970). The Irish Times, pp. 5
- ISBN 9781840185041.
- ^ a b “Man denies 12 La Mon hotel murder charges”. (January 17, 1980). The Irish Times, pp. 6
- ^ “Court told of horror at La Mon”. (September 9, 1980). The Press, pp. 7
- ISBN 9781409065227.
- ^ David Mckittrick (12 January 1995). "'No defence' in IRA bomb trial - News". The Independent. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ "Holocaust advertising highlights human tragedy". www.4ni.co.uk.