Barra McGrory: Public confidence in PPS 'not damaged'

Claims that Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has lost public confidence are "sweeping and inaccurate", its director has said.

Barra McGrory QC was appearing before a Stormont committee to answer questions on a review that criticised the PPS's handling of historic rape allegations.

Justice committee member Edwin Poots said there had not been "such a poor service" from the PPS in "decades".

The DUP MLA added that there was "a public dissatisfaction" with the PPS.

Sir Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, produced a report in May on three cases linked to the alleged rape of Máiría Cahill.

She told a BBC NI programme that an IRA member raped her when she was 16.

She had accused the PPS and the police of failing to properly investigate her allegations.

The PPS apologised to Ms Cahill after the report by Sir Keir concluded that it had "let down" her and other victims.

Damaged

Mr McGrory told the justice committee on Thursday that the report was "more difficult reading" for the PPS and acknowledged that "blurred" lines of communication with the organisation was one of the problems.

He was also addressing the report by Northern Ireland's attorney general, John Larkin, in relation to the PPS's decision not to prosecute Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams for allegedly withholding evidence about his rapist brother.

DUP MLA Edwin Poots said there was "a public dissatisfaction" with the PPS's recent performance

The committee chair, Alasdair Ross of the DUP, put it to Mr McGrory that "public confidence [in the PPS] has been damaged" by the two reviews.

The SDLP's Alban Maginness said the Starmer report amounted to "serious and damaging criticism", while Mr Poots said "there is a lot to be concerned about in the attorney general's report".

Mr Poots added: "I think Mr McGrory would do well to reflect on the quality of service that is being provided.

"In some instances, people are scratching their head and asking the question: 'What has to be done to get a successful prosecution against certain members of our community?"

While Mr McGrory said he accepted the criticisms on the Cahill case, he told the committee there was "nothing damaging" in Mr Larkin's report on the Adams case.

"To say that there isn't a public confidence in the Public Prosecution Service is a sweeping and inaccurate statement," he said.

During the session, Ms Cahill tweeted: "It would have been nice if someone had informed me my case was being discussed in detail today."