Patrick Askin, whose father was killed in the 1974 UVF bomb attacks on Dublin and Monaghan, has been granted notice party status in a High Court challenge over the Operation Denton report into the Glenanne Gang.

The legal action was initiated by the family of murdered loyalist William Marchant. The bombings killed 33 people, including a pregnant woman, and injured nearly 300 others. The attacks are part of a wider investigation into almost 130 murders attributed to the Glenanne Gang, based in the Mid Ulster area and comprising UVF paramilitaries, some corrupt RUC officers, and UDR soldiers.

The gang's activities included the 1975 Miami Showband massacre. A December summary from the Operation Denton team found evidence of collusion between loyalist terrorists and some police officers and military members, but no evidence of state cooperation in specific UVF attacks.

Marchant's family challenges the legality of Operation Denton, claiming police lacked authority to commission it. They argue there was no statutory power for disclosing intelligence material outside Northern Ireland, including an alleged briefing to campaign groups in Dublin in October 2024.

The case has expanded to seek prevention of the final report's publication. Concerns exist that Marchant could be linked to the Dublin and Monaghan attacks. Relatives of another individual named in the Dublin briefing have launched separate judicial review proceedings and obtained interim anonymity.

Mr Justice McLaughlin granted Mr Askin's application to participate as a notice party. Solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW law firm stated that Mr Askin welcomes the decision as he is directly affected by the challenge.