IRA bomb accused John Downey granted bail
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IRA bomb accused John Downey granted bail

AN IRISHMAN accused of the 1982 Hyde Park bombing in which four soldiers died has been granted conditional bail.

John Anthony Downey, 61, of Ards, Creeslough, Co Donegal, is accused of murdering four members of the Household Cavalry - Roy Bright, Dennis Daly, Simon Tipper and Geoffrey Young - on 20 July 1982.

The soldiers were killed when an IRA bomb was detonated as they rode horses from their barracks in Knightsbridge to Buckingham Palace.

Downey's bail conditions come with 10 preconditions, including a £55,000 bail payment.

The Donegal man also must wear an electronic tag, report daily to a police station and has agreed to a curfew.

In May, Downey was arrested at Gatwick Airport for the crimes in which 11 people in total died after two explosions in Hyde Park and Regents Park on a single  day in 1982, while a further 50 people were injured by the bombs which exploded less than two hours apart.

As reported in The Irish Post  last month, Mr Downey is being represented by Gareth Peirce, the lawyer who famously represented those wrongly accused of the Guildford Four bombing.

Downey's trial date has now been moved back to January 14, 2014.