§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Attorney-General in how many criminal cases in Northern Ireland courts accomplices of an accused have turned Queen's evidence; in how many cases this evidence has been uncorroborated; and what has been the result of such cases in the latest calendar year and year to date.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe law and practice in Northern Ireland, as in England and Wales, has always permitted the use of the evidence of accomplices in criminal trials. It is not something which has happened only in the context of the prosecution of terrorists or only in the situation which currently obtains in Northern Ireland. However, I take the present question to be directed at cases where such evidence has been used in recent years and specifically at trials for offences which are scheduled offences under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978. In respect, therefore, of trials on indictment for scheduled offences where evidence was given by an accomplice, the position for the years 1982 to date is as follows:
Year Number of trials Persons acquitted Persons convicted or pleading guilty 1982 1 0 4 1983 4 13 55 1984 3 46 26 1985 3 41 41 1986 to date 0 0 0 In 1984, the convictions of 14 of the persons tried in 1983 were quashed on appeal to the Court of Appeal.
It must be borne in mind that the persons numbered above as having been convicted or as pleading guilty were not necessarily convicted on the evidence of an accomplice. For example, in one trial in 1985 the trial judge rejected the evidence of the accomplice but convicted five of the accused on other evidence which was before the court.
There is no comprehensive record of, and it is not now feasible to identify without disproportionate cost, all the evidence which was before the court in relation to individual charges or whether such evidence was capable of constituting corroboration.