HC Deb 28 April 1988 vol 132 cc269-70W
35. Mr. Ian Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the trend of unlawful killings in Northern Ireland both connected and unconnected with the security situation; and what was the trend in the period before the death penalty was removed in the Province.

Mr. Stanley

In line with legislation in Great Britain the death sentence was removed from the statute books in Northern Ireland on 6 August 1966 in respect of ordinary crime. However, it was retained in the Provincefor the murder of a policeman or person in the Service of the Crown acting in the course of any duty involving the enforcement of the law

until 8 August 1973.

Only convictions for murder and not unlawful killing (manslaughter) could have resulted in the death penalty being imposed. The following table therefore shows the numbers of all murders committed in Northern Ireland during the period 1960 to 1987 (connected and unconnected with the security situation).

Total murders in Northern Ireland 1960–1987
Numbers
1960 9
1961 5
1962 2
1963
1964 1
1965 1
1966 3
1967 5
1968 5
1969 5
1970 14
1971 123
1972 376
1973 200
1974 205
1975 238
1976 280
1977 116
1978 82
1979 128
1980 85
1981 95
Numbers
1982 99
1983 86
1984 63
1985 59
1986 85
1987 100

Back to