The Poyntzpass double murderers claimed yesterday that their lives could be in danger if they were transferred from the Maze to nearby Maghaberry prison. Stephen McClean (30) and Noel McCready (33), of Banbridge, Co Down, said the threat arose because there was no segregation of loyalist and republican prisoners in Maghaberry.
The two men were jailed for life last February for murdering Mr Philip Allen and Mr Damian Trainor in the Railway Bar, Poyntzpass, Co Armagh, in March 1998.
In the High Court in Belfast yesterday they were granted leave to seek a judicial review of the transfer decision. Mr Justice Gillen said he wanted to make it clear that the granting of leave was no indication of the outcome of the applications.
McCready and McClean were due to be released last month under the terms of the Belfast Agreement, but were rearrested while on pre-release leave in early July and charged with attempted murder. Before the court yesterday was an affidavit sworn by their solicitor which said the Secretary of State had applied to the Sentence Review Commission to revoke their licences. The solicitor said the SRC had given a preliminary indication that a breach had occurred, and their licences should be revoked.
Mr Justice Gillen adjourned the hearing until September 7th.