Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon Dies, Aged 60

Gerry Conlon, one of the so-called Guildford Four who were wrongly convicted over an IRA pub bombing in 1974, has died aged 60.

He was jailed for life the following year - along with Paul Hill, Carole Richardson and Paddy Armstrong - for the attack that killed five people and wounded 65 others. 

Mr Conlon and the rest of the Guildford Four served 14 years of a life sentence before their convictions were overturned in 1989.

He was later played by Daniel Day-Lewis in the film In The Name Of The Father.

In a statement his family said: "This morning we lost our Gerry.

"He brought life, love, intelligence, wit and strength to our family through its darkest hours.

"He helped us to survive what we were not meant to survive.

Mr Conlon with a letter of apology from former PM Tony Blair

"We recognise that what he achieved by fighting for justice for us had a far, far greater importance - it forced the world's closed eyes to be opened to injustice... we believe it changed the course of history.

"We thank him for his life and we thank all his many friends for their love."

Mr Conlon died in his home in the Falls Road area of Belfast after a lengthy illness.

Tributes have beeen paid by Alex Attwood, SDLP Stormont Assembly member for the area, and Sinn Fein preident Gerry Adams.

"He'd given an awful lot but yet had so much more to give," Mr Attwood said.

"What he learned from his time in prison and campaign for release was the importance of not only raging against his own injustice but fighting for those who had also suffered miscarriages of justice."

Gerry Adams: 'An infamous miscarriage of justice'

Mr Adams said: "Gerry and his father Giuseppe were two of the most infamous examples of miscarriages of justice by the British political and judicial system.

"To his family and friends I want to extend my sincere condolences."

Mr Conlon's father Giuseppe, was jailed as part of a discredited investigation into an alleged bomb making family - the Maguire Seven - and died in prison.

His mother Sarah, a tireless campaigner for their freedom, died in 2008 aged 82.

In 2009 Mr Conlon wrote about the personal and emotional battles he suffered as a result of his incarceration and fight for freedom.

He suffered two breakdowns, attempted suicide and became addicted to drugs and alcohol following his release.

"The ordeal has never left me," he said.

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