A UNIVERSITY graduate serving a 22-year sentence here for planning a firebomb campaign in London has lost his High Court bid for legal aid to prepare submissions to the Parole Board aimed at procuring his early release.
Liam Grogan (31), from Naas, Co Kildare, was transferred to Portlaoise Prison in November 2000 to serve the sentence imposed at the Old Bailey, London, in May 1999 for conspiring to cause explosions.
Two other men, were jailed for 25 and 22 years respectively on the same charge. The London court was told the three, believed to be members of the Real IRA, intended to destroy the fledgling peace process in Northern Ireland.
When sentencing Grogan, the trial judge said he was satisfied his intention was not to endanger life but only to damage property. Grogan has dissociated himself from the Real IRA since sentencing and believes it should disband, the High Court noted.
Grogan became eligible in July 2005 to have his sentence reviewed by the Parole Board as seven years had elapsed since the sentence was imposed.
He asked a solicitor to assist in preparing legal submissions for the board. The board said it would accept legal submissions but no specific funding was available.
Grogan argued his right to liberty was at stake and the constitutional right to basic fairness required that he get legal aid.
In a reserved judgment, Mr Justice Bryan McMahon rejected this. He said previous court decisions had established there was no entitlement to free legal aid where a citizen is obliged to appear before a tribunal other than the courts or to legal representation before the sentence review group.
