Republican launches human rights test

Brother-in-law of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, 49-year-old Marvin Canning, from Glendara in the Brandywell area of the city, is seeking a judicial review of stop-and-search legislation.

His lawyers claim the law has breached his right to privacy and family life. He wants a High Court declaration that stop-and-search powers exercised under the Justice and Security Northern Ireland Act is incompatible with the European Convention on human rights.

His lawyer Paul Pierce said his client believed that the system was open to abuse.

“He has been stopped on numerous occasions for no reason he would say, which have resulted in criminal charges being brought against him,” he said.

“Incidents where he has been stopped and searched have continued after his acquittal, up until a couple of weeks ago.”

Mr Pierce said he expected a full hearing in June after the PSNI and the Secretary of State submitted affidavit evidence.