Reavey: 'We will never see justice for brothers'

EUGENE Reavey believes that his family will never see true justice for his murdered brothers, says he is shattered, but insists he will name the murderers should he take the stand in court.

The 50-year anniversary of the murder of John, Brian and Anthony Reavey in their Whitecross home takes place on Sunday (January 4).

The three brothers were murdered by the loyalist Glennane Gang, made up of Ulster Volunteers and members of the security forces but Reavey feels his quest for justice has been blocked by the State time and again.

“All I know is that families are very tired and they are sick of getting messed about,” said Mr Reavey.

“All they have to do is tell us the truth. I don’t want to see anybody going to jail over the murder of the Reavey brothers, there is no point. I don’t want any prosecutions. I just want them named and shamed in their own community, so the people know what kind of boys they have been living among. That is not a very difficult thing to ask for it is very simple but they won’t do it.

“I don’t believe that I will ever see justice in the sense of the word. Our understanding of justice and the States understanding of justice is that justice is only for the special few, it is not for everybody. For anybody looking justice for their families they are wasting their time.”

Only 12 months ago Mr Reavey was expecting two police officers to be charged with the murder of his brothers after the police ombudsman said that they could put capital murder charges to them and they recommended that to the Public Prosecution Service.

However, after a long time the PPS wrote to Mr Reavey saying it was not in the public interest to proceed with these cases.

“That is a shattering blow to any family that is looking for nothing more than justice,” Mr Reavey said.

“We are not looking for anything special, only basic justice. It tests your faith in the system and it tests your faith. This can’t keep going on any longer because people are getting older and we have suffered enough trauma over the years with all the disappointments. It is very hard to keep going.

“Where do you get the strength to get up and go again?”

But Mr Reavey did go again and it was only earlier this month his team was awarded compensation for having their time wasted by the State and Eugene says his share will go to the Evora Southern Area Hospice

“We were set for a trail and the State arrived in court with no documentation and said they had no time. Our barristers asked for leave to apply for wasted time expenses and he awarded £10,000, they didn’t take the money, they gave it to the clients, which was the Reavey brothers and Brendan Farmer, from the shootings in Newtown. I have pledged mine to the Southern Area Hospice.

“It goes to show that we are not looking money. They think that they are going to buy us off with a few pound and that is probably what will happen because they can’t afford to open the files.

“They will never open the Reavey brothers files, the Kingsmill files or the O’Dowd’s files, because they know they were complicit in the planning and the murder of those three incidents. And they know they can’t win that fight so they are stalling and stalling.”

Mr Reavey pointed to the recent Thompson Case where the Northern Ireland Police Constable John Boucher’s decision to open files was overturned by the State.

“I believe the chief constable is keen to get these case all solved. Legacy has been a slur on the police.

“People know the truth but there is one thing knowing it and getting the state to acknowledge it, Mr Reavey said.

“I believe that John Boucher had the best of intentions with Kenova report, the Reavey brothers is covered by the Denton Report, which can go on for 50-years. Whatever way the British Government has set it up, they have a way out of everything. They have the legal way out of it.”

That said, Mr Reavey is determined to have his day in court

“Looking forward, I can see cases being settled without the State admitting liability. Because the Reavey brothers was one of the cases that was going to be run and I have said that if I can get myself into a situation where I can get into the box that I will tell the truth about who shot who and I don’t care what it costs me.

“If the State won’t willingly tell the truth then there is an obligation to do so. If even to justify all my years of fighting with then and my obligation to my family that I should name them and I will name them.”

John, Brian and Anthony Reavey’s anniversary mass will take place in St Brigid’s Carrickananney chapel on Saturday (January 3) evening, which will be followed by visited the monument, where the boys were killed and then the plaque at St Killian’s Whitecross GAC marking 25-years since the brothers murders will be rededicated to 50-years.

The Reavey Brothers short film and book review will take place in Silverbridge GAC Resource Centre on Friday, January 9, while the 50th Anniversary will also be commemorated at the St Killian’s Whitecross GAC dinner dance in February next year.

One positive for Mr Reavey this year was the release of his book, The Killing of the Reavey Brothers - British Murder and Cover-up in Northern Ireland, a book written by Eugene Reavey and Ken Murray, which names those responsible (as shown in court documents) for the murder of his three brothers.