The Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal the 1979 convictions of Raymond McCartney and Eamonn MacDermott for murder and other offences.
Both men were convicted at Belfast Crown Court on 12 January 1979 of murdering Detective Constable Patrick McNulty. The officer was shot several times outside a garage in Derry on 27 January 1977. The prosecution contended that both men were members of the IRA.
Mr McCartney was also convicted of the murder of Jeffrey Agate in February 1977 at his home in Derry and being a member of a proscribed organisation. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mr MacDermott was also convicted of being a member of a proscribed organisation, attempted murder, firearms offences and conspiracy to collect information. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. The attempted murder related to the shooting of a soldier in March 1974.
The men denied the charges but were convicted on the basis of confessions.
Appeals by both men were dismissed in September 1982. Mr MacDermott applied to the Commission in March 2002 and Mr McCartney in July 2002.
The Commission has considered issues relating to the circumstances in which the confessions were made and has decided to refer the cases back to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
Mr McCartney is represented by Mr P. MacDermott of MacDermott and McGurk, Solicitors, of 12, Clarendon St, Derry City, Tel 02871 264415 and Mr MacDermott is represented by Mr K. Casey, of McCartney & Casey Solicitors, of 3 & 4 Castle Gate, Derry Tel 02871 288888.
This press release was issued by Boris Worrall, Head of Communication, Criminal Cases Review Commission on 0121 633 1806 or 07947 355231.
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