Ulster Unionist Justice spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA has welcomed the rejection of an appeal challenging the killing of Provisional IRA member Tony Doris during the SAS ambush at Coagh, Co Tyrone in June 1991. The court reaffirmed that soldiers acted lawfully when they intercepted and killed three members of a heavily armed active service unit who were on route to murder a part-time Ulster Defence Regiment soldier.

Doug Beattie MC MLA commented:

“On 3rd June 1991, a Provisional IRA active service unit was engaged by the SAS in Coagh, Co Tyrone. This heavily armed ASU were on their way to murder a part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment when they were engaged and stopped. During the engagement, three terrorists were killed, and two Romanian AKMs were recovered. 

“In 2024, an inquest ruled that the use of lethal force by the SAS was justified and therefore lawful. Yet, not satisfied with this judgement, an appeal was heard arguing the driver, Tony Doris, was killed due to the disproportionate use of lethal force. However, the judge was clear when summing up following the appeal.

“The soldiers acted within the law, Tony Doris was part of an armed ASU which presented a collective threat, and it was absurd to try and distinguish the driver from the other terrorists. The reasonableness, or Bennett test, was not breached by the soldier who fired the fatal shots killing Doris. None of the grounds for the appeal were justified, and it was not a good use of public funds to bring this appeal forward.

“In the end, it was always clear that the SAS were justified in using lethal force. This wider use of 'lawfare' in a vexatious attempt to undermine the action of the military, police, and other security services needs to stop. I am in no doubt this case will be brought before the courts again as the modus operandi we have become used to. 

“It's time we focused our efforts on tracking down those who sent these three men to their deaths. It is those who directed terrorism while safe from danger who we need to focus our attention on. The Labour Government has a choice; they either support the forces of law and order or they continue to facilitate this endless lawfare.”