The Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven were the collective names of two groups whose convictions in English courts in 1975 and 1976 for the Guildford pub bombings of 5 October 1974 were eventually quashed after long campaigns for justice. The Guildford Four were wrongly convicted of bombings carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), and the Maguire Seven were wrongly convicted of handling explosives found during the investigation into the bombings. Both groups' convictions were eventually declared "unsafe and unsatisfactory"[1] and reversed in 1989 and 1991 respectively after they had served up to 15–16 years in prison. Along with the Maguires and the Guildford Four, a number of other people faced charges against them relating to the bombings, six of them charged with murder, but these charges were dropped. [2] No one else was charged with the bombings, or supplying the material; three police officers were charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, and found not guilty. Contents

Guildford Four Edit

Maguire Seven Edit

The Maguire Seven were charged with possessing nitroglycerine allegedly passed to the IRA to make bombs after the police raided the West Kilburn house of Anne Maguire on 3 December 1974. They were tried and convicted on 4 March 1976 and received the following sentences: Defendant Relationship Age at

time of trial Sentence Anne Maguire 40 14 years Patrick Maguire Anne's husband 42 14 years Patrick Maguire Son of Anne and Patrick 14 4 years Vincent Maguire Son of Anne and Patrick 17 5 years Sean Smyth Brother of Anne Maguire 37 12 years Patrick O'Neill Family friend 35 12 years Patrick "Giuseppe" Conlon Brother-in-law of Anne 52 12 years Giuseppe Conlon had travelled from Belfast to help his son, Gerry Conlon, in the Guildford Four trial. Conlon, who had troubles with his lungs for many years, died in prison in January 1980, while the other six served their sentences and were released.

Appeals Edit

Aftermath Edit

In popular culture Edit

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