Greysteel Murderer To Stay In Jail

Convicted Greysteel killer Torrens Knight is to stay in jail.

He has failed in his legal challenge to the decision of the North's Secretary of State Shaun Woodward to suspend his early release licence last December.

According to the local SDLP East Derry MLA John Dallat many people will be pleased with the decision.

He said: "It is clear from the comments of Mr Justice Treacy who made the decision to dismiss Knight's appeal that the Secretary acted totally within his power in sending Knight back to jail after he was convicted of viciously assaulting Rosemary Sutherland and Caroline Nicholl.

"I am pleased that the judge has acknowledged that the secretary of state acted rationally and in good faith and that claims that his right to liberty were being denied were spurious. The truth is that any other course of action would have been an outrage," he said.

"I am particularly relieved that Judge Treacy has acknowledged that Knight’s release would have attracted public scorn and undermined public confidence in the criminal justice system.

"If anything that is an underestimate of the strength of feeling by many people in both communities.

"It is clear to me and to many that the Greysteel killer has not reformed, has shown no remorse for his attacks on the two ladies and is focussed entirely on getting himself out of jail." he continued, noting that the judge has acknowledged that the Secretary of State acted rationally and in good faith and that claims that Knight's rights to liberty were being denied were spurious.

"He belongs in jail. When the authorities eventually come to consider whether he is still a danger to the public, the bar must be set very high in line with the seriousness of his original crime of mass murder and his subsequent criminal action," the SDLP man concluded.

(BMcC/GK)