In a statement issued this afternoon Alderman Ruth Patterson has steadfastly refused to apologise for her entirely accurate remarks highlighting the links between Crumlin Star FC and Eddie Copeland, the IRA terrorist that ordered the Shankill bomb.
The former UDR soldier has further branded SDLP Councillor Tim Attwood a “tell-tale-tit” and blasted the lack of professionalism shown by the adjudication process conducted by unelected Local Government Commissioner Marie Anderson.
The appalling decision to suspend Alderman Patterson comes after Attwood, a member of a party who named a children’s play park after an IRA terrorist, complained to the Local Government Commissioner after Alderman Patterson highlighted the perfectly legitimate issue of Crumlin Star having as a senior member of their club an individual widely known to have been the IRA commander in North Belfast at the time of the Shankill bomb and many other atrocities.
In the course of the adjudication process the commissioner denied Alderman Patterson her own choice of representative, issued an anonymity order- despite having no legal power to do so- in order to protect Copeland’s identity and steadfastly refused to have the accuracy of Alderman Patterson’s comments tested by virtue of calling Eddie Copeland to face cross examination on his witness statement- in which he at no stage denied he was a senior member of the IRA or challenged the accuracy of Alderman Patterson’s comments.
It is thought that a range of actions by Marie Anderson will now be subjected to High Court challenge.
Alderman Patterson’s full statement:
“The sole basis of the complaint against me was in relation to comments made in the chamber, where I exercised free speech and the enhanced Article 10 protections that should have been afforded to me. Sadly these rights and my Article 6 Right to a fair hearing has been systemically violated by this process.
“I would point out that despite the Commissioner imposing a 6 month suspension, her jurisdiction over this matter ends on the 6 May 2019 pursuant to section 59(5) of the 2014 Act and section 11(2) of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 therefore it seems the excessive suspension is more about the optics given it has no practical effect after a mere two months has elapsed.
“This over the top decision was announced not by the Commissioner as it should have been but on social media courtesy of Cllr Tim Attwood, who appears to revel in the role of a little tell-tale tit, before I was even informed. That alone gives you a flavour of the kind of undemocratic professionalism that has underpinned this whole one sided process.
“I began my service to my country in the Ulster Defence Regiment, I dedicated much of my adult life in public service as a political representative and I leave my post as Alderman on a high having stood up for free speech, for the right of the unionist community to challenge the nationalist narrative and most of all for the right of elected representatives to speak for their constituents on matters which are of public interest.
“I will be making no further comment at this time pending a decision on potential High Court legal action.”