By Peadar O’Cearnaigh, July 20, 2021
On Sunday 18 July, members of the Wootton family, supported by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) trade union, held a protest at Maghaberry Prison. They did so to highlight the “ongoing discrimination directed at their son, John Paul Wootton”.
As reported by The Canary, Wootton is one of the Craigavon Two. Both he and Brendan McConville have been in prison for 12 years for the killing of PSNI constable Stephen Carroll. They claim they’re innocent and they’ve suffered a miscarriage of justice.
Discrimination on the inside
At the protest, Wootton’s mother delivered a letter of protest to the prison governor. Wootton’s family claim prison authorities have denied him:
“many of the opportunities readily available to the other prisoners”
The family explained:
“Our purpose was to show solidarity and love to John Paul and call for an end to the discrimination to which he has been subjected by the prison authorities.”
