A convicted serial rapist has failed in a legal bid to be allowed out of jail to visit his sister’s south Armagh grave.
Wayne Liddy mounted a High Court challenge after being denied temporary compassionate release to go to the cemetery in Crossmaglen.
Authorities at HMP Maghaberry near Lisburn, Co Antrim refused to let him out amid fears he may commit further offences or flee.
A trip accompanied by prison officers was also ruled out because they could be put at risk from any dissident republicans in the area.
Lawyers for Liddy (49), sought to judicially review the Northern Ireland Prison Service, arguing that its refusal was unreasonable.
Mr Justice Treacy dismissed the case after rejecting all grounds of challenge. Liddy is currently serving a 12-year sentence imposed in 2009 for a series of sex attacks committed before he started a new life in Northern Ireland. He admitted raping two woman and indecently assaulting a third in east London during 1992 and 1993 after DNA linked him to the crimes.
Although police had obtained a sample belonging to the rapist it took nearly 15 years before Liddy was caught. Forensic matches were established after he was arrested for criminal damage offences in Armagh in 2007.
Officers uploaded his profile onto the national DNA database and it was subsequently linked to one of the east London rapes. Further work confirmed links to all three of the crime scenes.
Ruling on Liddy’s judicial review challenge, Mr Justice Treacy stressed he was only considering the lawfulness of the Prison Service’s decision. He held that the risks of re-offending or flight were rational. The judge also rejected the contention that Liddy could be accompanied to the graveside by prison staff.
“Because of the risk to life accompanying prison officers would be exposed to by dissident republicans this was not feasible,” he noted.
Mr Justice Treacy decided Liddy had failed to show this stance was irrational. Rejecting submissions that an arguable case had been established by the prisoner, he confirmed: “The application (for leave to apply for judicial review) is accordingly dismissed.”