he household of an “angelic” 14-year-old woman who dreamed of changing into a nurse have spoken of their devastation that new legacy laws may finish their hope of justice.
Annette McGavigan had been enjoying with a pal in Londonderry on September 6, 1971, when the Military moved in to quash rioting.
She was shot lifeless. No-one has ever been convicted over her killing.
There’s a mural in her reminiscence within the Bogside space of Derry.
Her household have been actively campaigning for greater than twenty years to convey these accountable to justice.
The politicians are in opposition to it (the act), the Irish Authorities is in opposition to it, everyone seems to be in opposition to it. If it occurred wherever else on the earth, there could be uproar
They mentioned they’d a serious breakthrough earlier this yr when a former soldier was interviewed beneath warning as a part of the homicide investigation.
Annette’s brother Martin and sister Could mentioned they have been delighted when the arrest was made, describing a little bit of hope for his or her household after 52 years.
Nonetheless, they mentioned the UK Authorities’s Legacy Act, which is able to halt future civil instances and inquests referring to Troubles deaths, is a shadow hanging over them and concern it should forestall the case ever reaching courtroom.
The McGavigan household are amongst 16 authorized challenges launched in opposition to the act.
“We might have thought it could have been sorted prior to now, however we’re going to maintain preventing on, and hopefully it should get there,” Mr McGavigan mentioned.
“The British Authorities appear to be a legislation unto themselves making an attempt to brush all this beneath the sand – they wish to dig a gap within the sand to bury their heads in it.
“The politicians are in opposition to it (the act), the Irish Authorities is in opposition to it, everyone seems to be in opposition to it. If it occurred wherever else on the earth, there could be uproar.
“It’s actually stunning. It is a dwell homicide investigation and now it could possibly be shut down.
“We’re not the one ones affected, there are different households in the identical scenario. They will’t simply shut the door on them.
“Annette was no menace to anybody.”
Ms McGavigan challenged the Irish Authorities to take motion.
“I don’t assume they’re preventing sufficient, they’re speaking the discuss however they should stroll the stroll,” she mentioned.
“It’s not ok.”
Ms McGavigan was 11 when her sister was killed.
“She was simply an angel to our household, she was that good an individual, would have completed something for anyone, such a superb particular person,” she mentioned.
We’re on the stage now the place the (legacy) act is coming in and is designed to shut down such investigations. The concern is that the investigation could possibly be closed down
“She liked artwork, writing poems and there was discuss of her changing into a nurse when she grew up.”
She mentioned they’d been in school the day Annette was killed however a bomb scare resulted in all of them being despatched house early.
“Annette went to play with a pal, and I went on house. My ma requested me to go to the store to purchase some fruit, whereas I used to be going to the store a lady I do know stopped me on our road and mentioned there was rioting on the Little Diamond and a wee woman was shot,” she mentioned.
“I received house and mentioned to my mammy, she mentioned, ‘you aren’t allowed out due to the rioting’, I instructed her a wee woman was shot, and I’ll always remember the phrases, my mammy mentioned ‘God assist her poor mom and father whoever they’re’.”
They later found the woman shot was Annette.
“It was mayhem,” she mentioned.
Mr McGavigan described their mom as a spiritual girl who was left broken-hearted.
“She would take care of it by going up and hugging her garments and looking out on the clippings, my father would stand on the mural of her,” he mentioned.
“She has since handed and isn’t right here to know the place we’ve received to with this, and if we ever get justice. That’s the unhappy factor about it, she’ll by no means know.”
Sara Duddy, from the Pat Finucane Centre, which has been supporting the McGavigan household, mentioned the scenario could be very regarding with the case having taken a very long time to get to this stage.
“The household have been clearly optimistic … however we’re on the stage now the place the (legacy) act is coming in and is designed to shut down such investigations,” she mentioned.
“The concern is that the investigation could possibly be closed down.”
The arrest took place following a evaluate of the case by the Police Service of Northern Eire’s Legacy Investigation Department (LIB). This developed right into a homicide investigation.
A PSNI spokesperson mentioned: “We are able to affirm {that a} suspect was interviewed beneath warning as a part of the homicide investigation, which stays lively and ongoing.
“It will be inappropriate to remark additional presently.”
