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Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon dies Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon dies
(35 minutes later)
Gerry Conlon, who was wrongly convicted of the 1974 IRA Guildford pub bombing, has died aged 60 after a long illness. Gerry Conlon, who spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, has died at the age of 60.
He was one of the Guildford Four, who spent 15 years in prison before their convictions were quashed in 1989. Mr Conlon was wrongly convicted of the 1974 Guildford IRA pub bombing that killed five people and injured 65.
Mr Conlon's family said in a statement: "He brought life, love, intelligence, wit and strength to our family through its darkest hours." He was one of the Guildford Four, whose convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1989.
His case was highlighted in the 1993 film In The Name Of The Father, where he was portrayed by Daniel Day-Lewis. Mr Conlon's case was highlighted in the 1993 Oscar-nominated film In The Name Of The Father, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
In 2005, the then Prime Minister Tony Blair apologised for the miscarriage of justice. Mr Conlon was jailed for life in 1975 for the pub bombing along with Paul Hill, Carole Richardson and Paddy Armstrong.
The apology came more than 15 years after the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of Mr Conlon, Paul Hill, Carole Richardson and Paddy Armstrong, amid doubts raised about the police evidence against them. After Mr Conlon was jailed, seven other men were arrested because of a family connection to Mr Conlon.
Discredited
Among them was Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe, who was arrested while travelling to London from Belfast to help his son.
They became known, as the Maguire Seven and were convicted and jailed for handling explosives, based on scientific evidence which was later entirely discredited.
Giuseppe Conlon died in prison in 1980.
In October 1989, the Court of Appeal quashed the sentences of the Guildford Four amid doubts raised about the police evidence against them.
An investigation into the case by Avon and Somerset Police found serious flaws in the way Surrey Police handled the case - considered to be one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in Britain.An investigation into the case by Avon and Somerset Police found serious flaws in the way Surrey Police handled the case - considered to be one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in Britain.
Emerging from the Court of Appeal a free man, Mr Conlon declared: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent." Emerging from the Appeal Court a free man, Mr Conlon declared: "I have been in prison for something I did not do. I am totally innocent."
Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe was jailed as part of a discredited investigation into a supposed bomb-making family - known as the Maguire Seven. He died in prison in 1980. The sentences given the Maguire Seven were later overturned by the Court of Appeal in June 1991.
He was arrested while travelling to London from Belfast to help his son. In 2005, the then Prime Minister Tony Blair issued a public apology to the Maguire Seven and the Guildford Four for the miscarriages of justice they had suffered.
In June 1991, the Court of Appeal overturned the sentences on the Maguire Seven, who were all arrested because of a family connection to Mr Conlon. 'Darkest hours'
Mr Conlon died at his home in the Falls Road area of west Belfast after a long illness.Mr Conlon died at his home in the Falls Road area of west Belfast after a long illness.
In a statement issued through his lawyer Gareth Peirce, Mr Conlon's family said: "He helped us to survive what we were not meant to survive. In a statement issued through his lawyer Gareth Peirce, Mr Conlon's family said: "He brought life, love, intelligence, wit and strength to our family through its darkest hours.
"He helped us to survive what we were not meant to survive.
"We recognise that what he achieved by fighting for justice for us had a far, far greater importance - it forced the world's closed eyes to be opened to injustice; it forced unimaginable wickedness to be acknowledged; we believe it changed the course of history."We recognise that what he achieved by fighting for justice for us had a far, far greater importance - it forced the world's closed eyes to be opened to injustice; it forced unimaginable wickedness to be acknowledged; we believe it changed the course of history.
"We thank him for his life and we thank all his many friends for their love.""We thank him for his life and we thank all his many friends for their love."
SDLP assembly member Alex Attwood said: "He'd given an awful lot but yet had so much more to give.SDLP assembly member Alex Attwood said: "He'd given an awful lot but yet had so much more to give.
"What he learned from his time in prison and campaign for release was the importance of not only raging against his own injustice but fighting for those who had also suffered miscarriages of justice.""What he learned from his time in prison and campaign for release was the importance of not only raging against his own injustice but fighting for those who had also suffered miscarriages of justice."
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said: "Gerry and his father Giuseppe were two of the most infamous examples of miscarriages of justice by the British political and judicial system."Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said: "Gerry and his father Giuseppe were two of the most infamous examples of miscarriages of justice by the British political and judicial system."