Ronald Appleton Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth and Family

A bomb planted on the Shankill Road in October 1993 resulted in the death of 10 people. Many others were seriously injured. Ronald Appleton, for the prosecution in the trial of the surviving bomber Sean Kelly, told Belfast Crown Court that witnesses had seen Mr Kelly and Begley, dressed in white coats and hats, carrying a box into the fishmonger’s. As Begley set down the box it exploded.

In April 1992, Frederick Bushell, former chairman of the British Lotus Luxury car firm was first put on trial for his role in defrauding up to $17.5 million over a four-year period ending December 1982.

In April 1989, the first of 5 trials for the murder of Corporals Derek Wood and Robert Howes, often referred to as the Corporals killings, was held. Henry Maguire and Alex Murphy denied a total of nine charges including the assault, causing of grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment and murder of the corporals. Ronald Appleton, QC, for prosecution said that it was the Crown’s case that Maguire and Murphy “were part of a smaller crowd…that were engaged in a joint enterprise to kill”.

Ronald Appleton was the Crown Prosecutor for the 1989 trial of Michael Stone, an Ulster Loyalist. In this trial, Mr Stone pleaded not guilty to a total of 38 terrorist charges relating to 11 separate incidents between November 1984 and 16 March 1988. These charges included six counts of murder, six attempted murder, six wounding and three conspiracy to murder. Three of these murder charges were the result of the Milltown Massacre where Mr Stone had thrown grenades and shot at mourners during the funeral of three Provisional IRA volunteers killed in Gibraltar 10 days earlier. Regarding this incident, Ronald Appleton told Justice Higgins that Stone, using “earthy and colourful language” said “brilliant” when told he had killed at least two people. Although pleading not guilty, Stone refused to offer any defence. Stone was convicted and imprisoned with sentences totalling 684 years.

The case was heard at the House of Lords before Viscount Dilhorne, Lord Hailsham, Lord Edmund-Davies, Lord Fraser and Lord Scarman on 24 July, 19 October 1978. Ronald Appleton QC led for the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland (DPP).

On 17 February 1978 an incendiary bomb was placed and detonated in the La Mon House Hotel, Belfast, killing 12 people in “a fireball 60 feet wide and 40 feet high”. Two men were tried in connection with the bombing: Edward Brophy and Robert Murphy.

Edward Manning Brophy pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of murder as well as 37 other charges including IRA membership and the causing of 11 other explosions in Belfast between 1976 and 1978. Ronald Appleton, prosecuting, stated that it was the Crown’s case that Brophy was “guilty of murder because he provided the very lethal bomb and the hijacked cars to an IRA bombing team”. Evidence for this case consisted entirely of alleged statements made by the defendant at Castlereagh) inquiry center. This evidence was ultimately deemed inadmissible which lead to Brophy being cleared of the La Mon Hotel bombing murder charges but sentenced to 5 years for alleged IRA membership.

The Shankill Butchers was an Ulster loyalist gang—many of whom were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) that was active between 1975 and 1982 in Belfast. It was based in the Shankill area and was responsible for the deaths of at least 23 people, most of whom were killed in sectarian attacks. The gang was notorious for kidnapping and murdering random civilians from the Catholic community; each was beaten ferociously and had their throat hacked with a butcher’s knife. Some were also tortured and attacked with a hatchet. The gang also killed six Protestants over personal disputes, and two other Protestants mistaken for Catholics. Most of the gang were eventually caught and, in February 1979, received the longest combined prison sentences in United Kingdom legal history. Appleton represented the crown in the prosecution and was described by Martin Dillon, in his book on The Shankill Butchers case as “a lawyer of outstanding ability”.

The trial first commenced in June 1970. However, it was found that the route taken by the coach driver driving the jury to and from the court passed areas of the Shankill road that were integral to the case. Due to this, two defendants applied for discharge of jury. Justice McGonigal agreed that if there was a risk of a “miscarriage of justice” he must not take the risk and thus dismissed the trial.

The retrial began in October 1970. It became apparent during proceedings that crown witnesses had been confronted outside of court. As a result, Justice McGonigal warned the court that any threats made to any witnesses would “be met with the most severe punishment which the court could impose”.

Posts held by Appleton include King’s Counsel (appointed 1969), Senior Crown Prosecutor for Northern Ireland (1977-1999), Father of the Bar, founder and chairman of Pro Bono Society, Committee for Holocaust Remembrance, president of Belfast Hebrew Congregation, co-chair Council of Christians and Jews and founder and president of Thanksgiving Square.

Constable Victor Arbuckle, a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was shot dead by loyalists on Shankill Road on 11 October 1969. Victor Arbuckle was the first police fatality of the Troubles. Three men were subsequently put on trial for Capital Murder, a crime carrying the death penalty sentence if found guilty. The three men on trial were Thomas McNeil Roundtree, Ernest Robert Bell and William John Duncan. The defendants were also charged with maliciously wounding four other people, including a Special Constable, as well as with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Ronald Appleton defended Thomas Roundtree.

Ronald Appleton married Shoshana (née Schmidt) in 1963 in Tel Aviv, Israel. They have five children.

Ronald Appleton KC, (born 29 December 1927) is the former chief crown prosecutor (Senior Crown Counsel) for Northern Ireland, a post he held for 22 years, a period that spanned the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’. Having established a broad civil practice as a QC he became one of the most experienced terrorism trial lawyers in the UK. As senior counsel he led for the Crown in many of the major murder and terrorism cases during those years. Martin Dillon, in his book on the Shankill Butchers trial described Ronald Appleton as “one of the outstanding lawyers of his generation”.

Appleton was born in Belfast in 1927, the eldest son of Jewish immigrant parents. His mother Sophie, had been born near Kiev in Ukraine, and his father David was born in Dumfries, Scotland from a family of Lithuanian origin. David was a Merchant Seaman and served with the Royal Australian Navy in the First World War. He was decorated for his service. Ronald has two younger brothers; Neil and Ian.