Bobby Storey: Family takes legal action over cremation row

Eight other cremations were not allowed services at Roselawn on 30 June

A family denied access to Roselawn Cemetery on the day republican Bobby Storey was cremated has begun legal action against Belfast City Council.

They want the High Court to declare decisions taken by the council unlawful.

Eight families did not get the same access as Mr Storey's relatives to the council-owned crematorium on 30 June.

Case worker Glen Armstrong claimed the decisions were "irrational, unreasonable and ultimately unlawful".

Speaking on BBC's Nolan Show, he said his clients have been left "hurt and disillusioned".

"They're annoyed, and rightly so, that they weren't able to properly grieve for their loved one.

"They were made to stand there and wave goodbye, while on the very same day another family were given this unprecedented level of access.

"It is not difficult to empathise and understand that," he said.

The decisions taken about Mr Storey's cremation are "unlawful on the basis that they were discriminatory", said Mr Armstrong.

A spokeswoman for Belfast City Council said: "A decision has been taken by members to carry out an independent investigation, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."

• How a republican funeral sparked a crisis

• Officer appointed to oversee funeral investigation

• Council's 'error of judgement' over Storey funeral

Earlier this month, the council voted to hold an investigation into the handling of the cremation.

There had been claims that more than 60 people were at Roselawn for Mr Storey's cremation and republicans in effect took control of the cemetery.

But a leaked internal council report said there were fewer than 30 mourners and no paramilitary trappings.

Belfast City Council offered each of the eight families a refund of the fee they paid for the cremation of their relative and the council's chief executive Suzanne Wylie and senior officer Nigel Grimshaw apologised "wholeheartedly and unreservedly".

Suzanne Wylie was appointed chief executive at Belfast City Council in 2014

In a joint statement they said would like to "reiterate our sincerest apologies to those families who were affected by events on the 30th June at Roselawn.

"We recognise that this is unacceptable, and we apologise to those families wholeheartedly and unreservedly," they said.

Ms Wylie and Mr Grimshaw also expressed concern about "certain statements and comments that have been made and the impact these may have had" on their council roles.

It was reported that they had lodged a formal grievance with the city solicitor.

Explaining the family's decision to take legal action, Mr Armstrong said: "This is very much a public accountability issue that we should all be rightly concerned about.

"It's important that these decisions, decisions taken by public bodies are challenged."