Natasha Barnes appears as Advocate to the Court in two day Supreme Court appeal

June 11, 2025

The Supreme Court will hear an appeal today and tomorrow arising out of the death of Liam Paul Thompson who was murdered by loyalist terrorists in Belfast in 1994. In 2024, the coroner hearing the delayed inquest into his death decided to release a gist of police material withheld on public interest immunity grounds. The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland supports the gist, but the Northern Ireland Secretary sought unsuccessfully to challenge it in the Northern Ireland High Court and Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court will consider his further appeal and, amongst other things, the appropriate approach to take in cases where the police and government disagree about the public interest in national security cases.

Natasha Barnes has been appointed to act as Advocate to the Court led by Neil Sheldon KC.