The Dundalk Democrat, 21 September 2005:

Jury was on the verge of a walkout

 

Jury members involved in the second inquest into Seamus Ludlow's death have told family members that they were ready to walk out on the inquest because of the Gardai treatment of the case and the Ludlow family.

 

An admission by the former Chief Superintendent of the murder squad, John Courtney that investigations into Seamus Ludlow's 1976 murder were halted at Garda Headquarters in 1979 despite having the names of four strong suspects, has brought the Dundalk man's case to national prominence once more.

 

Following a second inquest into Seamus' death which is now officially an "unlawful killing" RTE are in the process of putting together a Prime Time programme on the Mountpleasant mans murder and the Ludlow family are dealing  with the press on a daily basis.

 

Seamus' nephew Jummy Sharkey said that the family spoke with members of the jury after the inquest.

 

"They said to several members of the family that they were disgusted with the way the Gardai were treating us and contemplated walking out.

 

"They decided to stay for the sake of the family. They wanted to see this through for us."

 

Jimmy said that the revelations of the inquest could only help the family in securing a public inquiry into Seamus' death.

 

"Everything pointed to these four strong susprects in 1979. John Courtney has to know at what level this was suppressed and why it was suppressed.

 

"The absenvce of Seamus' clothes is also convenient," Jimmy says.

 

"A murder has been covered up. Vital evidence has been lost. If it had been the IRA and not loyalists that killed Seamus and the truth was only coming out now, people would be tripping over themselves to get this out."

 

The Barron Report into Seamus' death was completed some months ago but as yet has not been made public. Jimmy wonders when his family will get to see the Report.

 

Dermot Ahern, a local TD and Minister for Foreign Affairs, as not been in contact with us. They are helping the McCartney family which is only right but we are here, in their back yard and they are not meeting us."