by Ronan McSherry
Two years after calling for an end to 50 per cent remission for prisoners Michael Harron of Strabane, whose wife Attracta was murdered by Trevor Hamilton from Sion Mills, was in the House of Commons to witness the law being presented for approval to the members of parliament.
Hamilton abducted and murdered the retired librarian, when she was returning from Mass in Murlog, Lifford, County Donegal on 11 December 2003.
Four months earlier he had been released from prison after serving half a seven year sentence for a violent rape and other offences, including threats to kill. The trial judge, when sentencing him for Mrs Harron's murder, recommended that he should never be released from prison.
On April 12, 2006, the day Hamilton was found guilty of the heinous crime, Michael Harron called for the end of 50 per cent remission in the North as well as the introductions of indeterminate sentences and the tagging of dangerous offenders after their release from prison.
While he was visiting his daughter in London this week Mr Harron was made aware the new legislation was to be debated in parliament.
Speaking to the Strabane Chronicle from London he said, "I discovered that the legislation was part of the bill that was going through the House of Commons on Monday.
"When Paul Goggins previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office heard I was outside he came out to me.
"Mr Goggins mentioned Attracta's murder in his speech. There wasn't a single objection about offences committed by sexual offenders."
In June the new legislation to abolish automatic 50 per cent remission will get the Royal Assent and become law. Mr Harron remarked that it was 'very spooky' that he was in England as this time.
He said, "It is strange that I happened to be in London on the day that the issues were on the agenda that my son Michael and I called for two years ago whenever Hamilton was found guilty. It was very spooky to be in the location when the law was being presented for approval to the members of parliament. It was remarked to me that it was very appropriate I should be there.
"Two years from inception is the normal timetable for legislation. It is not very often a person calls for a change in the law and is there to see it take place. That was unusual.
" It is a relief to me that women in NI will have the same protection as women in the rest of the UK. It should always have been that way. It was a difficult event that brought it about but it has now happened."
