The family of a jailed Tipperary man they say was wrongfully convicted of murder in Britain has appealed to the Taoiseach to raise his case with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The call was made at the publication today in Dublin of a booklet entitled Another Appalling Vista - The case of Christy McGrath,written in prison by Mr Christopher McGrath.
Mr McGrath was jailed in January 2001 for the murder of Mr Gary Walton, outside a pub in Coundon, Co Durham, the previous year.
Mr John McDonnell, a British Labour Party MP who has led a campaign in Britain in support of Mr McGrath, was in Dublin today for the publication of the booklet.
He said he was "absolutely convinced" of Christy McGrath’s innocence. He said his case fitted the profile of other miscarriage of justice cases such as the Birmingham Six and the Guilford Four.
He called for pressure to be put on the Taoiseach to raise the matter with his British counterpart so that the British Home Secretary would reopen the case.
Mr McDonnell and Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú were joined by a number of speakers from the Irish community in Britain who spoke on behalf of Mr McGrath.
The MP for Hayes and Harlington said there was a substantial body of evidence which cast considerable doubt on Mr McGrath’s conviction.
Senator Ó Murchú said Mr McGrath was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time.’ There was undue pressure on Mr McGrath to plead guilty and he had received inadequate legal advice, said Senator Ó Murchú.
Senator Ó Murchú said the purpose of the booklet was to raise awareness of Mr McGrath’s case and added that the only hope he had of winning the right to appeal his case was through political pressure.
The Carrick-on-Siur man admits to having an altercation with Mr Walton on the night of his death but denies strangling him. The pathologist who examined Mr Walton said injuries sustained by the deceased were consistent with him being strangled.
His supporters and family contend that Mr McGrath was the victim of a miscarriage of justice and over 50 British MPs and in excess of 40 TDs have joined the campaign for Mr McGrath.
