A STORMONT Minister has said that the re-introduction of the death penalty would give the Police Service of Northern Ireland “protection that they really need.”

Social Development Minister Maurice Morrow believes if capital punishment, which was abolished in Northern Ireland in 1973, was in place today it would “instil confidence in the police.”

Lord Morrow, a Democratic Unionist MLA and former chairman of the justice committee, told The Impartial Reporter that those who murder police officers should face the death penalty.

“I have long taken the view that those who take the life of a police officer or an officer who is in the execution of their duty in defence of others is a case where I believe capital punishment is appropriate,” he said during a visit to Enniskillen last week.

The Fermanagh-south Tyrone representative said he understood the argument in relation to capital punishment “that there is no room to correct a mistake” but added: “I wonder how many of those has been made when capital punishment was in place?”

Asked if he would welcome the re-introduction of the death penalty, Lord Morrow said: “Yes, I do believe that would bring greater protection to members of the security forces and the PSNI.”

And he explained his view that if capital punishment had remained throughout the Troubles “there would have been a lot less deaths particularly amongst the security force personnel.”

“We know too well the sacrifices that many police made in which over 300 RUC officers lost their lives. I believe had the death penalty been in place that would not have been the case. The very fact it was on the statute book would have been a deterrent in itself,” he said.

Lord Morrow stated that if capital punishment was in place today “security forces would go about their duty knowing that they had the full backing and authority of the law.”

“If capital punishment was on the statute book for a murder of a police officer then I believe that is a deterrent for those who would be prone to do that. Furthermore I believe it would instil new confidence in police that one, they are valued, and two, there is going to be legislation, tough legislation, that gives them the protection that they really need. I believe it would have a good effect,” he said.