Guildford pub bomb ruling keeps names public

An attempt by police to keep the names of Guildford pub bomb witnesses out of the public domain has failed after a coroner ruled against a force.

Surrey Police asked for names to be redacted from a submission to a pre-inquest review (PIR) into the deaths of five people in the IRA attacks in 1974.

The PIR heard the witnesses included a "great number" of service personnel.

Coroner Richard Travers said he could not see there being "proper justification" to withhold the names.

Four soldiers and a civilian died after an explosion at the Horse and Groom pub on 5 October 1974.

Following the attacks, 11 people - the Guildford Four and Maguire Seven - were wrongly-convicted in what became known as one of Britain's biggest miscarriages of justice.

Fiona Barton QC, representing the force, had said witnesses could discover their involvement through the media.

She said: "If witnesses are surprised that these inquests are to take place and they may be called almost 50 years after the event, their reaction may be 'I want nothing to do with this'."

Counsel to the inquest Oliver Sanders QC said the witnesses in question included those who were at a birthday party with victims Paul Craig, Ann Hamilton and Caroline Slater, a group from the Scots Guards who were with victims John Hunter and William Forsyth, and emergency responders including police and paramedics.

He said they were all adults at the time, he was not concerned about any "media harassment", and it would not make any difference as to whether they cooperated.

Mr Sanders said: "We don't think there's a reasonable expectation of privacy as to anyone there on the night in question.

"When a terrorist bombing takes place, it's reasonable to expect there will be an investigation."

Mr Travers said "a great number are those which were in various services" including police, military and medical personnel.

Ruling against the application, the coroner said: "On balance, I think I can't see there being proper justification."

Mr Travers said the submission in question would be released to the media after the hearing.

The PIR also heard that an expert on Irish and Anglo-Irish history, who gave evidence to the Birmingham pub bombing inquest, had said he would be able to assist with the Guildford proceedings.

Mr Sanders said the Birmingham senior coroner had shared a report by Professor Thomas Hennessey, who looked at the background to the wider IRA bombing campaign in England in 1974.

He told the hearing Prof Hennessey could look at "the bombing campaign and why it was Guildford came to be targeted".

A full hearing is expected to take place next year.