The man cleared of killing a 15-year-old schoolgirl who went missing in Donegal almost 20 years ago will learn next week if he has been granted legal aid to be represented at an inquest into her disappearance.
Arlene Arkinson
The long-delayed hearing into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Arlene Arkinson, from Castlederg, is due to begin next April and is expected to last up to nine weeks.
The key witness at the hearing will be convicted rapist and child killer Robert Howard who, in 2005, was acquitted of murdering the Co Tyrone schoolgirl who went missing after a night out at a disco in Bundoran in August 1994. Her body has never been found.
At his trial, the jury was not told Howard, who used to live close the Arkinson family home, was already serving a life sentence for raping and killing 14-year-old school girl Hanna Williams, from South London, whose body was found at a cement works in Northfleet, Kent, in March 2002.
Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford is due to decide whether to approve funding in order for Howard to be represented at April’s inquest.
Howard has launched judicial review of the proceedings in a bid to force the authorities to come to a decision.
Howard’s legal challenge was put on hold at Belfast Hight Court today following confirmation of the development.
The judge was told submissions on the funding issue would be made to the minister later this week.
On that basis, the judge agreed to adjourn the case until early in January.
Howard has already failed in a previous High Court bid to block the inquest
His legal team claimed the move was an attempt to undermine the “not guilty” verdict returned against him eight years ago.
They said that the inquest was being used as a way of reopening issues surrounding the case because the Arkinson family were unhappy with the outcome of the criminal trial.
In 2011, a judge dismissed his application for a judicial review of the decision to hold a tribunal.