Northern Irish law firms who scored £12m in legal aid will make millions more in ‘witch hunt’ probe into killings by Brit troops during The Troubles
A HANDFUL of law firms are set to make millions in a “witch-hunt” probe into killings by British troops in Northern Ireland.
They include Belfast-based Madden & Finucane and KRW Law solicitors — the two largest recipients of legal aid in Northern Ireland, trousering £12million between them in three years.
The firms have represented many families of IRA men and civilians killed during the Troubles.
KRW Law has already represented around 200 families while Madden & Finucane worked for most of the families in the Bloody Sunday probe.
A third firm, O Muiragh Solicitors, has issued legal proceedings against the British Government and MoD.
It is headed by Padraig O Muiragh, reported to be the son of Sean “Spike” Murray. His father is believed to have been a member of the IRA Northern Command.
Around 1,000 ex-servicemen, many in their 60s and 70s, will be viewed as manslaughter or murder suspects in a multi million-pound trawl.
However, 1,441 British military personnel also died — 722 of them in paramilitary attacks.
The probe by the Police Service of Northern Ireland has been slammed.
Nigel Kelsall, of UK Veterans One Voice, said: “I’m aware of people being hounded terribly.
“We know families want to bring civil action against the MoD and individual soldiers. The impact on soldiers and their families is horrendous.
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“Just going out on patrol they were putting their lives on the line, and now they are in their 60s and 70s.
“Our Government should stand up for these guys. The soldiers were doing their job.”
Thousands of unsolved deaths were first investigated by a police legacy unit in 2004.
One Northern Ireland veteran said: “Some people have realised they can get lots of compensation. We just hope it will not end up like the IHAT situation in Iraq.
“People arrested during the Troubles can claim compensation and make allegations they were mishandled. It’s all coming down the pipeline. It’s never going to go away.
“Anybody can try to make a spurious claim and get legal aid. We are the easy targets.”
KRW Law, run by Kevin Winters, has boasted of working on legacy cases involving “at least 200 deaths”.
His firm of 44 solicitors has raked in £7.3million in legal aid in three years.
The firm’s lawyer Darragh Mackin is part of the legal team at the Supreme Court trying to stop Brexit.
He is representing Fergal McFerran, one of six people behind the Stop Article 50 legal bid.
Winters, 52, was a consultant on BBC drama The Fall, set in Belfast.
Madden & Finucane, which represented the majority of the Bloody Sunday families, pocketed £5.2million in legal aid in three years.
The firm was founded in 1979 by Peter Madden and Pat Finucane and represented IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Three of Finucane’s brothers were members of the IRA and he was shot dead in 1989.
David Cameron apologised in 2012 after a probe revealed collusion with the British state led to his death.
Madden & Finucane and O Muirigh Solicitors did not respond to requests for a comment. A spokesman for KRW Law said: “We are outraged at your approach. Our lawyers will be contacting you tomorrow.”
Madden and Finucane
Legal aid received: £5.2m in 3yrs
Clients: Hunger striker Bobby Sands and majority of Bloody Sunday families
Number of solicitors: 11
Founded by: Peter Madden and Pat Finucane
Madden family home: £2m gated mansion in South Belfast
Response to Sun queries: No response
KRW Law
Legal aid received: £7.3m in 3yrs
Clients: 200 families
Number of solicitors: 44
Run by: Kevin Winters
Winters family home: £1.1m five-bedroom home in South Belfast
Response to Sun queries: "We are outraged at your approach. Our lawyers will contact you tomorrow."
Solicitors' IRA clients
BELFAST-based solicitors are representing the families of a number of IRA members killed or jailed during the Troubles. Here we profile some of the cases the firms have taken on.
JIM LYNAGH, nicknamed The Executioner, was one of eight Provisional IRA gunmen shot dead in an SAS ambush at Loughgall police station in 1987.
KRW Law defended Continuity IRA gunmen BRENDAN MCCONVILLE and JOHN WOOTTON in a murder trial. They were convicted in 2012 of shooting dead PSNI officer Stephen Carroll in 2009.
IRA Maze jail leader PADRAIC WILSON was represented by Madden & Finucane in 2015. KRW is representing the widow of IRA killer SEAMUS DILLON, shot dead in 1997.
MADDEN & Finucane backs a probe into the deaths of DESSIE GREW and MARTIN MCCAUGHEY, shot by the SAS as they left an arms cache wearing balaclavas and carrying AK-47s in 1990.
IVOR BELL is being defended by KRW in his trial for the murder of Jean McConville. KRW has represented MARIAN PRICE MCGLINCHEY, behind the 1973 Old Bailey bomb.