The High Court has ruled that John Downey, an IRA member, was an “active participant” in the Hyde Park bombing in 1982 which killed four soldiers from the Household Cavalry and injured 31 people.
Following a 3-day civil action brought by relatives of the four Household Cavalry who were killed in the attack, Mrs Justice Yip told the court she was satisfied Mr Downey was “an active participant” in a carefully planned attack on members of the military:
“I have found that the defendant was an active participant in the concerted plan to detonate the bomb, with the intent to kill or at least to cause serious harm to members of the Household Cavalry.”
In presenting the Claimant’s case, Lord Brennan QC described the bomb attack as “precision murder”.
This judgment paves the way for a damages claim to be made against Mr Downey.