POLICING BOARD DECIDES ON EXTERNAL REVIEW OF OMAGH
Policing Board decides on external review of Omagh
By Barry McCaffrey
INDEPENDENT external advisers are to be appointed to review the police investigation into the Omagh bombing.
Following a lengthy private meeting of the Policing Board yesterday, its members decided to set up an independent review of the initial police investigation and the second investigation, which led to charges being brought against south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey.
Board chairman Professor Sir Desmond Rea said members felt an independent review "would be of value at this stage".
Although the board is still to decide on the review's terms of reference, Sir Desmond said it would "consider the various recommendations arising from the deficiencies of the initial investigation; and the various reports that have been carried out subsequently".
During the meeting, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde defended a decision to allow two police officers to remain on duty despite being found to have falsified witness statements in the trial.
Last month Sean Hoey was acquitted of involvement in a series of Real IRA bomb attacks, including the August 1998 attack on Omagh town centre, which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.
Mr Justice Weir told the trial that the two officers, chief inspector Philip Marshall and constable Fiona Cooper, were guilty of "deliberate and calculated deception" after they were found to have "beefed up" witness statements.
In what he described as a "most disturbing situation", Mr Justice Weir said:
"The explanation as to how their untruths came to be told and the deliberate attempts, as I am satisfied they were, to conceal what the defence not unfairly characterised as the "beefing up" of the initial statement of Ms Cooper are deeply disquieting."
Questioning whether the decision to falsify witness statements involved other more senior police officers, he said: "The effect of this, as I find deliberate and calculated deception in which others concerned in the investigation and preparation of this case for trial beyond these two witnesses may also have played a part, is to make it impossible for me to accept any of the evidence of either witness since I have no means of knowing whether they may have told lies about other aspects of the case that were not capable of being exposed as such."
The judge took the unusual step of asking the Police Ombudsman to investigate the police officers' actions.
Last month The Irish News revealed that both officers had been questioned by the Police Ombudsman and files forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in August for possible charges to be brought.
A PPS spokesman confirmed that the files were "under consideration".
After what was described as a "robust and challenging" meeting with the Policing Board yesterday, the chief constable said: "The judge's comments were rightly damning. I have said I will deal with that through the Police Ombudsman.
"Rest assured, when the ombudsman reports, I will take firm action if it needs to be taken."
Sinn Fein Policing Board member Alex Maskey said he was "extremely disappointed" by Sir Hugh's response to the trial judgment.
Mr Maskey said he was also unhappy that the two officers mentioned in Justice Weir's judgment were still serving in the PSNI.
And he said the board is to ask the lord chief justice to clarify Mr Justice Weir's comment that senior officers may have been involved in falsifying witness statements.
SDLP board member Dolores Kelly said she would await the ombudsman's report, which is due later this month. But she added there could be "no hiding place" for officers found guilty of misconduct.
By Barry McCaffrey
INDEPENDENT external advisers are to be appointed to review the police investigation into the Omagh bombing.
Following a lengthy private meeting of the Policing Board yesterday, its members decided to set up an independent review of the initial police investigation and the second investigation, which led to charges being brought against south Armagh electrician Sean Hoey.
Board chairman Professor Sir Desmond Rea said members felt an independent review "would be of value at this stage".
Although the board is still to decide on the review's terms of reference, Sir Desmond said it would "consider the various recommendations arising from the deficiencies of the initial investigation; and the various reports that have been carried out subsequently".
During the meeting, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde defended a decision to allow two police officers to remain on duty despite being found to have falsified witness statements in the trial.
Last month Sean Hoey was acquitted of involvement in a series of Real IRA bomb attacks, including the August 1998 attack on Omagh town centre, which killed 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins.
Mr Justice Weir told the trial that the two officers, chief inspector Philip Marshall and constable Fiona Cooper, were guilty of "deliberate and calculated deception" after they were found to have "beefed up" witness statements.
In what he described as a "most disturbing situation", Mr Justice Weir said:
"The explanation as to how their untruths came to be told and the deliberate attempts, as I am satisfied they were, to conceal what the defence not unfairly characterised as the "beefing up" of the initial statement of Ms Cooper are deeply disquieting."
Questioning whether the decision to falsify witness statements involved other more senior police officers, he said: "The effect of this, as I find deliberate and calculated deception in which others concerned in the investigation and preparation of this case for trial beyond these two witnesses may also have played a part, is to make it impossible for me to accept any of the evidence of either witness since I have no means of knowing whether they may have told lies about other aspects of the case that were not capable of being exposed as such."
The judge took the unusual step of asking the Police Ombudsman to investigate the police officers' actions.
Last month The Irish News revealed that both officers had been questioned by the Police Ombudsman and files forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in August for possible charges to be brought.
A PPS spokesman confirmed that the files were "under consideration".
After what was described as a "robust and challenging" meeting with the Policing Board yesterday, the chief constable said: "The judge's comments were rightly damning. I have said I will deal with that through the Police Ombudsman.
"Rest assured, when the ombudsman reports, I will take firm action if it needs to be taken."
Sinn Fein Policing Board member Alex Maskey said he was "extremely disappointed" by Sir Hugh's response to the trial judgment.
Mr Maskey said he was also unhappy that the two officers mentioned in Justice Weir's judgment were still serving in the PSNI.
And he said the board is to ask the lord chief justice to clarify Mr Justice Weir's comment that senior officers may have been involved in falsifying witness statements.
SDLP board member Dolores Kelly said she would await the ombudsman's report, which is due later this month. But she added there could be "no hiding place" for officers found guilty of misconduct.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0885
Published Date: 04-Jan-08
Related Images
