20 September 2001 Edition
Judgment reserved in Gildernew election case
Judgment was reserved in the legal case taken by Ulster Unionist James Cooper to overturn the result of the Westminster election in Fermanagh/South Tyrone.
Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew won the seat in the June election by 53 votes. Afterwards Cooper, the unionist candidate, alleged that Sinn Féin election workers forced the presiding officer to keep a polling station in Garrison, County Fermanagh, open after closing time.
Barrister for Cooper, Declan Morgan, asserted that presiding officer John McGovern was forced to keep the station open due to ``intimidation''. During the two-day hearing, polling officers Andrew Halliday and Fay Flannigan estimated that between 15 and 20 people voted in a seven to eight-minute period after 10pm.
Speaking outside the court, Michelle Gildernew repeated her view that Cooper's action was driven by ``sour grapes''.
``His (Cooper's) original submission alleged intimidation and there was no evidence of that,'' said Gildernew.
Judges Carswell and McCollum reserved judgment, saying they wished to review the evidence.
Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew won the seat in the June election by 53 votes. Afterwards Cooper, the unionist candidate, alleged that Sinn Féin election workers forced the presiding officer to keep a polling station in Garrison, County Fermanagh, open after closing time.
Barrister for Cooper, Declan Morgan, asserted that presiding officer John McGovern was forced to keep the station open due to ``intimidation''. During the two-day hearing, polling officers Andrew Halliday and Fay Flannigan estimated that between 15 and 20 people voted in a seven to eight-minute period after 10pm.
Speaking outside the court, Michelle Gildernew repeated her view that Cooper's action was driven by ``sour grapes''.
``His (Cooper's) original submission alleged intimidation and there was no evidence of that,'' said Gildernew.
Judges Carswell and McCollum reserved judgment, saying they wished to review the evidence.