12 February 1998 Edition
Hamill family harassed again
By Ciaran Smith
SOLICITOR Rosemary Nelson has described as outrageous the arrest of a brother of Robert Hamill who was beaten to death by loyalists in Portadown last year.
The family's solicitor, Nelson spoke of her ``outrage'' when she learned that the man was arrested and questioned by the RUC for involvement in disturbances in the town after last year's Garvaghy Road crisis.
Nelson said it was ``rather striking'' that of the 17 people arrested after the week-long series of riots in the town he was the only one detained for a lengthy period before being released again.
The Lurgan solicitor said that she received a letter from the RUC in Portadown, asking her to bring Mr Hamill to the station for him to answer a series of questions.
``Basically they wanted me to arrest my own client. I was absolutely horrified when they sent the letter making the request.''
Robert Hamill (25) died as a result of severe head injuries when he was savagely beaten in-front of an RUC mobile patrol.
Six men were charged with the murder but five were later released as the charges were dropped.
SOLICITOR Rosemary Nelson has described as outrageous the arrest of a brother of Robert Hamill who was beaten to death by loyalists in Portadown last year.
The family's solicitor, Nelson spoke of her ``outrage'' when she learned that the man was arrested and questioned by the RUC for involvement in disturbances in the town after last year's Garvaghy Road crisis.
Nelson said it was ``rather striking'' that of the 17 people arrested after the week-long series of riots in the town he was the only one detained for a lengthy period before being released again.
The Lurgan solicitor said that she received a letter from the RUC in Portadown, asking her to bring Mr Hamill to the station for him to answer a series of questions.
``Basically they wanted me to arrest my own client. I was absolutely horrified when they sent the letter making the request.''
Robert Hamill (25) died as a result of severe head injuries when he was savagely beaten in-front of an RUC mobile patrol.
Six men were charged with the murder but five were later released as the charges were dropped.