Dismissed human rights commissioner also stepped down from PSNI spy probe panel

Dismissed human rights commissioner David Lavery resigned from an ‘expert panel’ established to oversee a review into PSNI surveillance of journalists after concerns were raised about a court reference for a convicted child sex offender. Details of the resignation from the McCullough Review panel emerged as Secretary of State Chris Bryant removed the Law Society chief executive from the Human Rights Commission this week.There was controversy earlier this year after Mr Lavery provided a reference for his cousin William Lloyd Lavery, who was convicted of historical sexual offences.The 77-year-old former teacher, who worked for a number of UUP MLAs, was sentenced to two years in prison in April after being found guilty of six counts of indecent assault at a school he taught at in the 1970s.Pr