Shatter criticises SF bid to scrap Special Criminal Court

Former justice secretary Alan Shatter has said a Sinn Féin election commitment to scrap the juryless Special Criminal Court would endanger jurors, the Irish Independent reports.

In his first intervention of the election campaign, Mr Shatter criticised the left-wing party’s recently re-iterated commitment to abolish the court if it enters government as part of a coalition.

He said the Special Criminal Court “has been absolutely crucial in ensuring the protection and preventing intimidation of jurors”.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams recently claimed there is “no place for special courts or draconian legislation such as the Offences Against the State Act (OASA) in a modern, democratic society”.

He also said the continued existence of the court went against a Good Friday Agreement (GFA) commitment to work towards the normalisation of policing and security matters.