§ 35. Mr. Ian BruceTo 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. StanleyIn 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 Province
for 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 lawuntil 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).
270W
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