Maguire awarded Bene Merenti medal
Sunday, 22 May 2005 22:10
Anne Maguire, one of the people wrongly imprisoned for the Guilford bombing, has been awarded a papal medal.
The late pontiff, John Paul II, approved the issue of the Bene Merenti medal to community worker Anne Maguire just three days before his death on 2 April.
The medal was presented by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, at Mrs Maguire's parish church at Kilburn in north London this morning.
Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor said the medal had been presented in recognition of Mrs Maguire's 'remarkable ability to forgive' as well as for her community work.
Mrs Maguire served a nine-year sentence for possessing nitro-glycerine which was allegedly passed to the IRA to make bombs.
Six other members of her family were jailed for the same offence.
In 1991, the Maguire family, who had all served their sentences, were cleared of all charges.
In February this year, the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, issued a public apology to the Maguire family and the Guildford Four for the miscarriages of justice they had suffered.
