Unionist trio seek details of Raymond McCord legal aid

TUV’s Jim Allister and DUP MPs Gregory Campbell and Carla Lockhart have submitted Freedom of Information (FoI) requests about the level of assistance he has received.

Their involvement emerged as Mr McCord was granted permission to challenge a decision to release the funding details.

Mrs Justice Keegan ruled he has established an arguable case his personal data would not be disclosed while a complaint process is under way.

Mr McCord has been a campaigner since his 22-year-old son was murdered by loyalists in November 1997.

One of Mr McCord’s legal actions centres on the ongoing failure to hold an inquest into his son’s murder.

He has also taken other cases against the government over any no-deal Brexit, and the criteria for calling a border poll on Irish unification.

The Belfast man issued judicial review proceedings after the Legal Services Agency decided to release details on his legal aid payments.

In court it was confirmed that the FoI requests were made by Mr Allister, Mr Campbell and Ms Lockhart.

Applications for reporting restrictions and anonymity in the case were rejected. Mrs Justice Keegan held that the public interest outweighed any distressed caused.

She granted leave on a point about Mr McCord’s legitimate expectation his data would not be disclosed at this stage.

The judge pointed out that the issue may become academic, based on the outcome of a separate analysis by the Information Commissioner.

However, she confirmed that the campaigner should be able to “prevent the damage he alleges from occurring while his complaint is processed”.

With the case due to be reviewed again next month, undertakings were given that no data will be released in the meantime.