European Court dismisses Omagh bombing pair's 'unfair trial' claim

Esther Gibson

Spaniard Gonzalo Cavedo poses with a child on his shoulders beside the car carrying the bomb that seconds later killed 29 people, including the photographer

Elizabeth Rush

Olive Hawkes, aged 60

Julie Hughes, aged 21

Ann McCombe, aged 45

Mary Grimes, aged 65

Aiden Gallagher, aged 21

The bomb attack was the worst ever atrocity of Northern Ireland's decades of violence.

Brian McCrory, left, aged 54

Samantha McFarland, aged 17

Philomena Skelton, aged 39

Jolene Marlow, aged 17

The scene of the Omagh Bomb

Brenda Logue, aged 17

Alan Radford, aged 16

Bryan White, aged 27

Oran Doherty

Lorraine Wilson

Fred White

Veda Short

Geraldine Breslin

Deborah-Ann Cartwright

The scene of devastation in Omagh Town centre where upto 25 people have been killed in this afternoons blast. PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/08/98

Gareth Conway, Omagh bomb victim

James Baker, Omagh bomb victim

Several men have faced charges in connection with the attack, but nobody has ever been convicted of the murders

Cathy and Michael Gallagher, the sister and father of Omagh bomb victim, Aiden Gallagher.

PACEMAKER BFST 03-08-99: Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a chat with Claire Gallagher, who lost her sight in the Omagh bomb, before yesterday's friendly against Omagh Town in aid of the Omagh Bomb Fund.

The happy couple — Ryan and Claire Bowse on their wedding day last year, nine years after Claire lost her sight due to injuries suffered in the Omagh bombing

The damage caused by the bomb explosion in Market Street, Omagh, 1998

Donna Marie McGillion, who was seriously injured in the Omagh bombing

The secret email which shows intelligence bosses knew that Omagh was a prime target for a terrorist attack weeks before the car bomb that devastated the town

Claire Radford, whose brother Alan was killed in the Omagh bomb, examines a new stained-glass window in the town's library with her daughter Mia. The window was created in memory of the victims of the blast which killed 29 people and unborn twins.

Michael Gallagher whose son Aiden, 21, was killed in the Omagh bomb attack Pic Paul Faith

Michael Gallagher (right), whose son Aiden, 21, was killed in the Omagh bomb attack with Stanley McCombe who lost his wife Ann Pic Paul Faith

September 29 2016 10:17 AM

The European Court of Human Rights has dismissed a claim by the men found liable for the Omagh bombing that the civil court action against them was unfair.

Michael McKevitt and Liam Campbell took a case to Strasbourg claiming they were not given a fair hearing in regard to the 2009 civil legal action against them.

The landmark ruling found the pair liable for the bombings.

They were ordered to pay substantial damages. Both made an appeal, but this was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in 2011. They were refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court on 27 July 2012.

In 1998 a 500lb bomb exploded in Omagh killing 29 people including a mother expecting twins. More than 200 others were injured.

It was biggest single atrocity of the Troubles.

The Real IRA was thought to be behind the blast although no organisation ever admitted responsibility.

McKevitt and Campbell, in their application to the European Court, argued that given the severity of the charges the court should have applied the criminal burden of proof as opposed to the lesser civil standard.