New Bloody Sunday judge named

A Bloody Sunday anniversary march in Londonderry

A former judge of the Australian High Court has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by a resignation from the panel of judges sitting at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson has announced the Honourable John Toohey will replace Sir Edward Somers.

The inquiry was ordered by Prime Minister Tony Blair to investigate circumstances surrounding the shooting dead of 13 unarmed civilians participating in a civil rights march in January 1972. A fourteenth person died later from his wounds.

The resumption of hearings had to be postponed due to Sir Edward's resignation on 31 July. The tribunal is now scheduled to re-open on 13 November.

Relatives of the victims had objected to the postponement of the inquiry which was underway between March and June at Londonderry's Guild Hall.

Lord Saville: Travelled to Perth to meet new tribunal judge

Lord Saville of Newdigate heads the inquiry while he is joined on the bench by Canadian judge William Hoyt.

Both men travelled to Perth in Australia to meet their new colleague and discuss the inquiry with him.

"Bill Hoyt and I are very much looking forward to working with him. Mr Toohey's long and distinguished record in the service of justice in Australia will be an asset to the challenging work of the Tribunal," said Lord Saville.

"He is a most welcome addition to our team."

It was anticipated that the new member of the Inquiry would need time to update himself on the evidence heard so far at the tribunal.

The hearings were adjourned in June after inquiry counsel Christopher Clarke QC concluded a record-breaking opening statement.

Mr Clarke had been on his feet for 176 hours during nine weeks of hearings.

In the course of the inquiry so far, its counsel Christopher Clarke QC has aired thousands of pages of witness statements, classified military and cabinet documents from the time, expert evidence and newspaper and documentary material.

Mr Clarke said the process had taken longer than anyone "including its author" had anticipated.

Sir Edward Somers: Resigned "after much soul-searching"

The tribunal is expected to sit for another two years, or even longer.

In his letter to Mr Mandelson, Sir Edward, who will be 72 in September, said he resigned due to "personal reasons".

It is thought the length of the journey between Derry and New Zealand led to him visiting home less frequently than he would wish.