We look at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown News this week in 1985...
Lucky escape for two men
TWO local men were attacked and seriously injured in a sectarian attack at a Derriaghy night club on Saturday, 12th.
The two were leaving the Ferrari Disco at the Stagecoach Inn when a young man started to verbally abuse them, saying they were “Fenian bastards from Twinbrook."
This man then attacked one of them, dragging him to the ground to be kicked and punched by a hostile crowd which had gathered. "I tried to stop them," said one of the men, but I was also kicked and punched." He went on: "I managed to pull my friend back to the door of the disco and asked the staff to let us back in because we were getting attacked. I was told by a person who I believe was a bouncer, to “F off.” We tried to make our way out onto the main road to get away, but a large crowd chased after us.
We both ran up Mosside Road, but I fell. I was kicked, punched and beaten up by a number of youths."
One man escaped across a row of back gardens and two fields. His clothes were destroyed while climbing over wire fences. He later found his friend lying at the corner of Kllleaton Park.
“He had been badly beaten up and only for the appearance of a man and woman may have been killed," he said.
Loyalist advice centre
LOYALIST representatives on Belfast City Council have got themselves a lavish advice centre on the Shankill Road – at the expense of rate payers –
"Honest bigot" George Seawright, Councillor Cobain and Alderman Coggle, all representatives for the Court area, spearheaded the plan to have the premises, originally held by the Council “for the purposes of community services function”, to be handed over for the exclusive use of the unionist parties.
When the Community Services Committee met on 9th September, Councillors Coggle, Cobain and Seawright pressed on the use of 77 Shankill Road as a so-called 'Councillor' Surgery'. At that meeting, the Assistant Director stated that he was not sure the council would have the 'statutory authority' to grant the use of the premises for this purpose. As a result, a decision was made to consult the Town Solicitor. He came down unambiguously against such a misuse of community facilities. In a memorandum to the Community Services Committee he wrote: "You have instructed me that the proposal is that the Councillors for the Court area be allowed substantial, if not exclusive, use of premises at No. 77 Shankill Road in order to enable them to meet and advise constituents; to hold meetings and to maintain an office; the council being asked to bear the cost of heating, lighting and telephone charges..... "
“I regret that .... I am not aware of any statutory power that would enable a District Council to provide a facility of the sort envisaged for the use and benefit of its members.
"It follows therefore, that expenditure on the provision of such a facility would be 'ultra virés’ and liable to surcharge by the local Government Auditor."
However, just nine days later, on 9th September, the chairman of the Community Services Committee was able to report to colleagues that following a meeting between the unionist councillors, the Town Clerk, the Town Solicitor and the Director of Community Services, the premises would now "be made available to the public representatives for the area”.
It is widely believed that the frantic efforts by the unionist councillors to obtain an advice centre premises is linked to a recent Shankill Bulletin article which showed the only public representative for the Shankill area with an advice centre service, was the MP for West Belfast, Gerry Adams.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Joe Mooney was the guest of honour at a surprise party to celebrate his 60th birthday In the Tullymore CC back in October 1985. Joe took a long time reading this birthday card with the names of all his family, in-laws and grandchildren
Editorial
WE suspect that if there was a poll taken tomorrow on which section of our society demanded the least respect, then the law profession would come off worst.
We have more lawyers, solicitors and judges per head of population than any other country in the world, yet the administrators of justice here are held in less esteem by the general public than any other profession. And that includes even politicians and used car salesmen.
Nothing proved that point more clearly, in our opinion, than public reaction to the acquittal of Dominic McGlinchey. The people were absolutely amazed that a suspect charged with a politically motivated offence had been acquitted. And on the same token, their lack of reaction when he was found guilty on evidence that even a child in the street would have known was not sufficient to convict anyone, showed that they don't expect the fair implementation of the law, even law of the diluted variety that we have come to know.
How these "learned" gentlemen of the law can sleep easily in their beds at night knowing how they have brought the administration of justice in our society into such disrepute, is beyond us. Yet dressed up in funny wee hairpieces and attired in flowing robes, they not only demand respect from the rest of us poor dopes, but they will stick us in jail if we don't give it.
To prostitute the administration of law to the dictates of the state, whether it be in London, Dublin or Belfast, is a crime against the people and should be treated as such. The administration of justice in this country stinks, and no amount of excuses about emergency laws, a state of war, or intimidation can explain it away. If judges have not got the backbone or integrity to oppose internment without trial, convictions on tortured evidence and finally the use of paid perjurers, then they shouldn't be in the well-paid positions they are in. It is about time that a group be formed from within the law profession itself, to formulate a code for the fair administration of the law. And every time that code is broken, then the culprits should be confronted.
This should be the function of the Law Society, but then they are more interested in the design of a solicitor's letter heading than in the administration of justice, so the new group would have to be independent of them. If such a group doesn't emerge and emerge quickly, then, all lawyers will become accessories before and after the fact of the prostitution of the administration of justice.
