Former IRA man Gerry McGeough to appeal conviction

He was jailed three years ago for the attempted murder of off-duty UDR soldier, Sammy Brush.

According to the BBC, McGeough is challenging his conviction and has been granted leave for a Supreme Court appeal.

The court will be asked to rule on whether admissions made by McGeough during a Swedish asylum application should have been relied upon during his 2011 trial.

Speaking about the appeal, his solicitor said: “In addition to the new headline facts disclosed about Gerry McGeough’s case, there are important aspects of European and domestic law which say his conviction is unsafe.

“Not least, the evidence adduced at Gerry McGeough’s trial from an alleged asylum application made 30 years ago in Sweden.

“The receipt of such evidence at his trial was a breach of common law rules and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to a fair trial).

“EU law recognises the need for a common policy of protection for asylum seekers yet in Gerry McGeough’s case this was repeatedly ignored.”

Last week, it was claimed that Downing Street has ordered the release of the former IRA man following pressure from Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.