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| Birmingham pub bombings: Coroner to appeal against court ruling | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A coroner is to appeal against a ruling to name suspects of the Birmingham pub bombings in new inquests. | |
| Twenty-one people died when two bombs exploded in the city centre in 1974. | Twenty-one people died when two bombs exploded in the city centre in 1974. |
| Last week, two High Court judges ruled that coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC was wrong to decide that the names of the suspects would not be part of new inquests for the victims. | Last week, two High Court judges ruled that coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC was wrong to decide that the names of the suspects would not be part of new inquests for the victims. |
| But in a statement, a spokesperson for the inquests said the coroner will seek to appeal against this judgement. | |
| Sir Peter had decided in July that the names of the alleged perpetrators would not be part of the framework of new inquests. | Sir Peter had decided in July that the names of the alleged perpetrators would not be part of the framework of new inquests. |
| But at a hearing at Birmingham Justice Centre on Friday, he was ordered to reconsider this decision. | But at a hearing at Birmingham Justice Centre on Friday, he was ordered to reconsider this decision. |
| Mrs Justice Carr and Lord Justice Simon, said they were "minded to quash the coroner's decision which excluded the perpetrator issue and remit the case so as to enable him to reconsider the decision." | Mrs Justice Carr and Lord Justice Simon, said they were "minded to quash the coroner's decision which excluded the perpetrator issue and remit the case so as to enable him to reconsider the decision." |
| Birmingham Inquests said it will call for the issue to be looked at again. | Birmingham Inquests said it will call for the issue to be looked at again. |
| Analysis: Phil Mackie, BBC Midlands Correspondent | |
| The families will be fuming because they feel that whenever they negotiate one hurdle another is put in their way. | |
| They won the campaign to have the inquests resumed; they got the law changed to allow them to claim back the costs of their Northern Irish solicitors and then won the judicial review. | |
| After the latest success I spoke to Brian Hambleton, whose sister Maxine was killed, and asked him why he wasn't celebrating - he told me that there'd be another twist before the inquests can resume. | |
| It's going to mean further delays to the hearing which was originally scheduled to start last September, and may not get underway until this autumn. | |
| Justice4the21, the main campaign group representing many of the relatives, had said they would "no longer participate" in the hearings following the coroner's decision in July last year. | Justice4the21, the main campaign group representing many of the relatives, had said they would "no longer participate" in the hearings following the coroner's decision in July last year. |
| Relatives had argued the inquests could not take place without naming suspects, while their lawyers said discussing potential perpetrators "is central to the case". | Relatives had argued the inquests could not take place without naming suspects, while their lawyers said discussing potential perpetrators "is central to the case". |
| In a statement, from the coroner, it said: "In the circumstances, the coroner considers that legal issues raised in the High Court judgment require reconsideration and clarification and he now intends to seek permission to appeal the judgment to the Court of Appeal. | In a statement, from the coroner, it said: "In the circumstances, the coroner considers that legal issues raised in the High Court judgment require reconsideration and clarification and he now intends to seek permission to appeal the judgment to the Court of Appeal. |
| "All of the interested persons in the inquests, including the families, have been informed of the coroner's decision to seek permission to appeal." | "All of the interested persons in the inquests, including the families, have been informed of the coroner's decision to seek permission to appeal." |
| A pre-inquest review, which had been listed for 22 February, will now be postponed. | A pre-inquest review, which had been listed for 22 February, will now be postponed. |
| The victims' families have fought for years to have the inquests reopened. Hearings were held days after the bombings but closed without hearing any evidence. | |
| After being refused legal aid, they fundraised to pay for the judicial review, which cost £40,000. | |
| Previously, self-confessed IRA bomb maker Michael Hayes said he was part of the group responsible for the Birmingham pub bombings. | |
| He told the BBC he defused a third explosive in Birmingham and accepts "collective responsibility" for all of the group's actions. |