Northern Ireland

Paddy Hill, wrongly convicted of Birmingham bombings in 1974, dies aged 80

Mr Hill was one of the six wrongly convicted of carrying out the 1974 Birmingham bombings

Paddy Hill, one of the Birmingham Six who were wrongly convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings, outside Council House in Solihull where it was announced that fresh inquests were to be held into the deaths of 21 people in the bombings after years of campaigning by victims’ relatives
Paddy Hill was one of the Birmingham Six who were wrongly convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings. (Ben Birchall/PA)
By Mark Robinson

One of the six men who were wrongly convicted of carrying out the 1974 pub bombings in Birmingham has died aged 80.

Paddy Hill, a member of the ‘Birmingham Six’, died peacefully at his home on Monday morning.

His death was announced by the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO) in a statement posted to Facebook.

More: Tributes paid to Birmingham Six member Hugh Callaghan following Belfast man’s death

“It is with great sorrow Paddy died this morning peacefully at home. “Our condolences to his family at this sad time. " the statement read.

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Paddy Hill with Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny and John Walker outside Old Bailey after the convictions of the Birmingham Six were quashed
Paddy Hill with Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny and John Walker outside Old Bailey after the convictions of the Birmingham Six were quashed (Sean Dempsey/PA)

“We ask that you respect the [family’s] privacy. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Mr Hill helped establish Glasgow-based MOJO to help those wrongly convicted both during their time in prison and after release.

Alongside the other members of the Birmingham Six, Mr Hill spent 17 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of carrying out the 1974 bombings which killed 21 people.

They were released in 1991 following a successful appeal.