A Co Louth man jailed for 22 years in connection with bombings in London and Birmingham has brought High Court proceedings aimed at speeding up his transfer to an Irish prison so as to be closer to his wife and six children.
James McCormack, of Newhouse, Knocknagoran, Omeath, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey in November 2002 to charges in connection with bombings in London and Birmingham. He was convicted on charges of conspiracy to cause explosions and jailed for 22 years. He is detained at Full Sutton Prison in the UK.
He first applied for transfer to an Irish prison in April 2003 and has brought his challenge because of delay in finalising the matter. Siobhan Phelan, for McCormack, yesterday secured leave from Mr Justice Michael Peart to bring a judicial review aimed at speedily procuring his transfer to an Irish prison.
Ms Phelan agreed with the judge that the essence of the proceedings was to compel the Minister for Justice to progress the transfer application. She said all the necessary consents to transfer had been procured since April 2005 and all that was required now was for the Department of Justice to apply to the High Court for a warrant authorising her client's transfer.
McCormack's solicitor, James MacGuill, said his client has had limited access to his wife and six children, aged between three and 15 years, since his arrest in 2002. His family was able to visit him only two or three times a year.
Both Ireland and the UK are signatories to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and legislation had been introduced in both jurisdictions providing for a statutory regime under which transfer might be effected, Mr MacGuill said.