THE Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, is considering granting the royal prerogative of mercy to Garnett Bell, who was convicted of a flamethrower attack. Bell is terminally ill in hospital suffering from cancer.
Bell, who was sentenced to life in prison following a flame-thrower attack on his old school in Holywood, Co Down, in June 1994, has asked Sir Patrick to be allowed die with "dignity".
His solicitor, Mr Joe Rice, has asked Sir Patrick to exercise the rarely-used royal prerogative which would release Bell from Maghaberry Prison and allow him die in a hospice or in an outside hospital. He is currently beings treated in Belfast City Hospital.
A spokeswoman for the Northern Ireland Prison Service confirmed that the request is being considered.
Bell (47), from east Belfast, was sentenced to life in prison after using an improvised flamethrower to attack students sitting A-level examinations at Sullivan Upper Grammar School, in Holywood.
The attack was motivated by a 30-year grudge Mr Bell held against the school. He was convicted of attempted murder against the students, a number of whom were badly burned in the attack.
Bell is under guard at the hospital, where he is being treated for stomach and bowel cancer.
Mr Rice, who visited Bell in hospital, said he may only have a few days left to live.
"We are not seeking to have his sentence commuted. It simply means having him released on licence and moved to a hospice where he can die with some dignity," he added.
"There is a precedent for this. It's bad enough, but to see a man dying in these circumstances is very disturbing. He does not constitute a threat to anybody," said Mr Rice.
