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The biographical drama Lockerbie: A Search for Truth sheds light on the legal procedures in the aftermath of the 1988 bombing of the Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. One of the most crucial characters in the series is lawyer Roderick McGill, who collaborates with activist Jim Swire to overturn the conviction of Libyan national Abdelbaset al-Megrahi for the bombing.
Since McGill is the main character in Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, the viewers might wonder if he is based on a real person. The fictional character Roderick McGill is inspired by Scottish human rights lawyer Tony Kelly.
Kelly had taken over the case of Megrahi in 2005 intending to dig out discrepancies in the evidence. His zeal for justice was very much similar to that of McGill in the series.
Roderick McGill in Lockerbie: A Search for Truth and Tony Kelly: Real life parallels
Roderick McGill in Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is the fictionalized version of Tony Kelly, a Scottish lawyer. As noted in The Lockerbie Bombing: A Father's Search for Justice by Jim Swire and Peter Biddulph, Kelly took up the position of solicitor to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi in 2005.
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Kelly’s focus centered on PT/35(b), a fragment of the circuit board used in the bomb. He discovered that the board’s composition—tin instead of a tin/lead alloy—differed from what was standard. This discrepancy became a cornerstone of Kelly’s argument to challenge Megrahi’s conviction.
Like McGill in Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Kelly worked tirelessly to highlight inconsistencies in the evidence.
Tony Kelly’s notable legal career
According to The Scotsman and BBC News, Kelly became prominent in 2004 after winning compensation for Robert Napier, an inmate in the HM Prison Barlinnie. Thanks to Kelly, Napier was awarded compensation for degrading prison conditions. Kelly had since represented hundreds of prisoners over similar claims.
His efforts were often criticized by political figures such as Alex Salmond, Scotland's former First Minister.
Where is Tony Kelly now?
Tony Kelly has continued practicing in Scotland as an attorney. His law firm, Taylor & Kelly, is situated in Coatbridge, The Scotsman has informed. Throughout the years Kelly has served in a wide range of positions, including a summary sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin and a judge in the Social Entitlement and Immigration and Asylum Chambers tribunals.
In 2024, Kelly was appointed as a temporary judge in the High Court of Justiciary, Scotland's supreme criminal court. His contributions to human rights law have also extended to academia, with Kelly working as a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde.
Kelly's illustrious career in law and advocacy shows that seeking justice often requires challenging the official narrative about national events.
Lockerbie: A Search for Truth was released on January 2, 2025, on Sky Atlantic and Now in the UK and Ireland. In the USA, it is available on Peacock.
