Chairman: Lord MacLean

03/07/2009

The Billy Wright Inquiry

This is the website for the Billy Wright Inquiry. William Stephen (Billy) Wright was murdered at the Maze prison, Northern Ireland on 27th December 1997.

This is a Public Inquiry and was announced by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Right Hon Mr Paul Murphy MP, on 16th November 2004. On 23rd November 2005 the Billy Wright Inquiry was converted, by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, to an Inquiry to be held under the Inquiries Act 2005. The Inquiry was established following the Report of The Honourable Justice Peter Cory, a retired Canadian Judge, published in April 2004.

The Terms of Reference for this Inquiry are:

“To inquire into the death of Billy Wright with a view to determining whether any wrongful act or omission by or within the prison authorities or other state agencies facilitated his death, or whether attempts were made to do so; whether any such act or omission was intentional or negligent; and to make recommendations.”