Torrens Knight appeals jail term

Knight received 12 life sentences for his part in the Greysteel massacre and the separate killing of four workmen.

His release licence was suspended after he was found guilty of attacking two women in a bar in Coleraine in 2008.

His lawyers claim it should not have been suspended until his appeal against the assault convictions was heard.

Knight served seven years in prison for his part in the murders of eight people at the Rising Sun bar and four workmen in Castlerock earlier the same year.

Although Knight was granted bail pending his appeal, he was kept in jail due to the suspension of his licence by Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward.

Knight's lawyer told the High Court the Sentence Review Commissioners have still to decide whether to revoke the licence granted under the Good Friday Agreement.

"He seems, since his release in the year 2000 to have, as they say, turned over a new leaf and disassociated himself with those whom prior to 2000 he appears to have associated himself with," he said.

The lawyer said the decision had breached Knight's right to liberty.

A lawyer representing the Secretary of State argued the decision to suspend his licence was appropriate due to the guilty verdict in the assault case.

"It must be open to the Secretary of State to decide matters had reached a tipping point," he said.

He said the view had "crystallised" that Knight now posed a clear risk to the public.

Mr Justice Treacy reserved judgement on whether to grant leave to seek a judicial review.

Eight people were shot dead when the UFF opened fire inside the Rising Sun bar in the County Londonderry village of Greysteel at Halloween 1993.

One of the gunmen shouted "trick or treat" before opening fire on customers.