A man who claims Lord Louis Mountbatten abused him at a notorious Belfast children's home has formally launched legal action against state institutions in Northern Ireland.
Arthur Smyth, a former resident of the Kincora home, has waived his anonymity to make the allegations.
Lawyers representing Mr Smyth lodged a writ of summons at the High Court in Belfast today as part of a case in which he alleges that he was molested twice by the earl, a great uncle of Britain's King Charles, during the 1970s.
Lord Mountbatten was killed along with three others when the IRA detonated a bomb on his boat in Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, in 1979.
A former resident at the Kincora home for boys, Mr Smyth is suing the Department of Health, the Secretary of State, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Business Services Organisation.
He is seeking damages for alleged assault and battery, negligence, misfeasance in public office and breach of statutory duty under the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968.
His solicitor, Kevin Winters of KRW Law, said in a statement: "In issuing this action today Arthur Smyth has now put down a marker and taken the next important step in his battle to get justice over the horrific abuse suffered by him when he was a child.
"In doing this he wants to expose what, until now, have been suspicions and rumours about one of his alleged abusers, the late Lord Louis Mountbatten.
"He wants the facts finally to emerge about his abuse generally and specific allegations about two separate incidents implicating the now deceased royal."
Details of the alleged abuse will be set out in a finalised statement of claim due to be served at a later date.
