Ford announces review of cases involving sex offenders

4.26.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Sep 2010

Justice Minister, David Ford

Justice Minister, David Ford, has asked the Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael Maguire, to examine how cases involving sex offenders are dealt with here

Announcing his decision today, the Minister said that the management of the recent court case involving brothers, James and Owen-Roe McDermott from Donagh, County Fermanagh, had raised questions that have to be resolved.

He said: "It is clear to me that there is a distinct lack of clarity surrounding the management of the case involving these brothers.

"I am very conscious that the way in which this information has come into the public domain has contributed to the distress of the victims and their families, and it is for that reason that I have asked Dr Maguire to carry out a detailed investigation.

"Dr Maguire's statutory remit will not permit him to examine the detail of the McDermott case itself. What I am asking him to do is take a detailed look at the way in which such cases are managed by the justice system.

"It is vital that the public have confidence about the way in which these matters are dealt with and I am determined that lessons are learned by all of the agencies involved.

"I have asked Dr Maguire to provide me with an interim report by the end of October."