AN appeal by the Secretary of State against a Coroner’s decision to disclose a gist of information in the inquest into the 1994 sectarian murder of West Belfast man Paul ‘Topper’ Thompson will be heard over the next two days at the UK Supreme Court in London.
The appeal follows earlier rulings by the Northern Ireland High Court and Court of Appeal in favour of disclosure to the Thompson family.
This landmark case raises critical questions about the ‘Neither Confirm Nor Deny’ (NCND) policy used by the Government to prevent disclosure of information on national security grounds. CAJ, Amnesty International and Relatives for Justice (RFJ) have said that NCND is often used to conceal state culpability in human rights violations.
Paul Thompson (25), was shot dead by the UDA in Springfield Park on 27 April 1994. A loyalist gunman fired through a hole which had been cut into an interface security fence, hitting him as he sat in the passenger's seat of a taxi. The family have always suspected collusion in the killing as the RUC had been alerted earlier in the day to the breach in the 'peace wall'.
Campaigners claim that the case being heard in London has implications for other families whose attempts to seek justice for their loved ones have been blocked by state secrecy.
Speaking ahead of the hearing, Eugene Thompson, Paul Thompson’s brother, who is terminally ill, said: “I’ve fought for decades for the truth of what happened to Paul. The Government should not be fighting against the answers we need. I would have liked to attend court in person to fight for justice for Paul, but my health won’t allow me. I know family will be there. This should have been resolved a long time ago. Government’s repeated delay and blocking tactics mean we are still fighting; it should not have to come to this.”
Eugene Thompson will be watching the Supreme Court proceedings today from his Hospice Bed.
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Before her passing, Paul and Eugene’s mother, Margaret Thompson, travelled to the House of Commons to seek a public inquiry into her son’s murder.
Eugene added: “My mum started our family’s fight for justice over 31 years ago and has since passed away. I hope that the UK Supreme Court will help bring closure.”
Daniel Holder, Director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), solicitors for the Thompson family, said Eugene and his family have long sought justice and truth regarding Paul’s murder "but have been met by repeated delay and obstruction".
"An effective investigation has never taken place, and an inquest has never been completed, 31 years on," he added. "This case has wide implications for numerous bereaved families and the rule of law. National security cannot surely be invoked to conceal state wrongdoing or the involvement of state agents in killings or other human rights violations.”
Gráinne Teggart, Northern Ireland Deputy Director of Amnesty International UK, said: “This case is crucial regarding state secrecy on legacy issues and highlights everything wrong with the UK’s approach – a government more focused on protecting itself than delivering truth. It exposes a culture of obstruction where even a seriously ill brother’s plea and three court rulings are insufficient to compel transparency. The government’s obsession with secrecy continues to override accountability, and families are paying the price.
Briege is joined by supporters outside the Supreme Court this morning
“The Thompson case epitomises the failings of the UK’s legacy approach; a grim blueprint of how state secrecy, endless delay, and institutional obstruction continue to deny victims’ families their rights. It starkly reveals the imbalance of power: a family seeking answers against a government closing ranks to protect itself from scrutiny.
“It is bitterly disappointing that Government still seeks to deny truth to victims while claiming commitment to delivering an agreed way forward on legacy.”
Irati Oleaga, from Relatives for Justice, said: “Paul Thompson’s life mattered.”
She added: “So does the truth about his death. And so does the courage of those who have never stopped demanding it. We stand with Eugene. With his mum Margaret, whose absence is deeply felt. And with the many other families still denied truth, justice, and acknowledgement. Their persistence in the face of delay, denial, and deliberate obstruction is a testament to the strength of human dignity.
“The Thompson case is a test: will the courts permit British Ministers to override judicial independence in order to conceal evidence of potential state wrongdoing? Will they allow NCND to become a catch-all shield against accountability?”
John Finucane MP and Paul Maskey MP with Briege Wright
West Belfast MP Paul Maskey joined the Thompson family in London on Wednesday morning.
“This case is yet another example of the contempt shown by the British government towards families seeking answers about what happened to their loved ones," he said. “We need a legacy process that commands the confidence of victims’ families and is rooted in the principles agreed at Stormont House — not one based on cover-up and denial.”
