The UK government has confirmed it will now seek to appeal a court order that it must hold a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown to the UK Supreme Court.
The statement follows the outcome of a case in Belfast today in which the Northern Ireland Appeal Court re-affirmed that such an inquiry must be held.
During the case the UK government had argued that it was "not constitutionally appropriate" for a court to force the government into such a move.
A UK government spokesperson said tonight it had assessed the outcome of today's hearing and would now be seeking the permission of the Supreme Court in London to bring the case to it.
"We acknowledge the Court's decisions and now intend to seek permission to appeal from the Supreme Court because this judgment and the terms of the mandatory order raise matters of constitutional significance that go beyond this individual case.
"The Court previously invited the Secretary of State to reflect on the judgment and has reiterated today that this process should continue. We will of course respond to the Court on that issue in early June.
"This will not, however, delay our determination to repeal and replace the Legacy Act, and to implement mechanisms that are human-rights compliant."
Earlier, the Northern Ireland Appeal Court affirmed an order that the British government must hold a public inquiry into the 1997 murder of Mr Brown.
It had already ruled that not convening one was illegal. Today, it backed the decision of the High Court that one must be held.
It said it would allow four weeks before the order becomes operational on 2 June.
The Brown family were in court for the ruling today.
Mr Brown's daughter, Clare Loughran, spoke to the media outside court.
"At this stage now we are really relieved.
"We are delighted with the decision that has been reached.
"My mother [Bridie] stood at these microphones four weeks ago and appealed to the Secretary of State not to make her go to London.
"That remains the position. She's an elderly lady. We have fought very long and very hard to try and get to the end point of this which is that public inquiry to get to the truth.
"And that's all we want at this stage.
"We really appeal again to the Secretary of State. I appeal on my behalf, on behalf of my mother to please do the right thing.
"Do not take us to London, do not take this to the Supreme Court. Do not drag this on any longer."
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who attended this morning's hearing, said the stance of the British government in respect of the Brown case should form part of consideration on whether Ireland would withdraw its interstate case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights over Troubles legacy matters.
"Clearly where you have a position where the British state is breaking the law ... of course those are salient factors."
The Brown family's solicitor Niall Murphy questioned whether the UK government was intending to continue to break the law.
He said the Court of Appeal had given a "strong, firm, unambiguous and very clear order" compelling the Northern Ireland Secretary to establish a public inquiry into the murder.
"The position is now crystal clear," he added.
"The Secretary of State has a binary choice: either comply with the law or continue to break the law. And, as a society, we should all hope that those who make our laws will not be those who will now break our laws."
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'Do the right thing'
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill urged Mr Benn to "get on with it" and order a public inquiry in the case.
"I think he's living in a fool's paradise if he thinks that the Brown family are going to go away, or if the community of Bellaghy are going to go away, or if the people right across the north (are going to go away)," she said.
"You've seen how many people came along to support this family yet again in the courts today. The court ruling is crystal clear. Get on with it. Do the public inquiry. Do the right thing. Have some degree of decency and stop putting Bridie Brown through this day and daily."
Earlier, Des Fahy KC, for the Brown family, said they were "vigorously opposing" any extension of time for the Northern Secretary.
"Seeking a further four weeks is only heaping further delay on the delay that has existed in the 28 years since the murder."
He said there was "no confidence" additional time would provide a credible option other than a public inquiry.
And he urged the Court of Appeal to "follow through" on its ruling last month and make an order compelling Mr Benn to convene a public inquiry.
"The Brown family position is that if the Secretary of State wants to appeal this to the Supreme Court he should get on with it," Mr Fahy said.
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Tony McGleenan KC, for the Northern Secretary, said if more time was not granted he would invite the Court of Appeal to dismiss the government’s application to overturn the High Court order to establish a public inquiry - something he said was not "constitutionally appropriate".
He said that would allow the government to "move swiftly" to the Supreme Court.
The Court of Appeal affirmed the order of the High Court to convene a public inquiry. But it delayed the operation of the order for four weeks.
Mr Brown, 61, the chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.
No one has ever been convicted of his killing.
Preliminary inquest proceedings last year heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents.
It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning.
Additional reporting PA
