I WONT RESIGN - SIR RONNIE
I won't resign - Sir Ronnie
Former RUC chief refuses to stand down over Omagh bomb
BY AARON TINNEY
a.tinney@newsletter. co.uk
FORMER RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan repeated last night that he was "desperately sorry" for his force's botched investigation into the 1998 Omagh bomb - but he rejected calls from some relatives of the victims for his resignation.
Sir Ronnie, now Her Majesty's Chief Inspectorate of Constabulary, said his resignation would bring "no positive outcome".
Last month Sean Hoey, 39, was cleared of a series of dissident republican attacks including the 29 Omagh murders.
Lord Justice Weir accused police witnesses of "beefing up" statements and said the treatment of vital DNA evidence had been "thoughtless" and "slapdash".
Sir Ronnie said that although he took responsibility for bungling the biggest probe in British legal history, he was not going to step down.
He said: "I have thought very carefully. The families' thoughts are very important to me but I do not see what positive outcome there would be through my resignation."
He also admitted to the BBC that forensic facilities "fell short of what was required" at the time of the investigation and said evidence labels were lost.
Sir Ronnie told a Press conference in 2001 that if his officers' investigation was found to be flawed he would not only resign, but also "publicly commit suicide".
He later withdrew the statement about killing himself, branding it "crass".
Yesterday English solicitor Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James was killed in the blast, said: "There was appalling inefficiency by Sir Ronnie Flanagan who said in the past he'd publicly fall on his sword. Well, I'll give him the sword."
A furious Mr Barker was also yesterday secretly recorded by UTV berating Sir Ronnie one-to-one behind the scenes of a Press conference.
In a heated exchange, the bereaved father told the police boss the judgment by Mr Justice Weir "condemned" him - and he repeatedly asked if he was going to resign.
When Sir Ronnie replied, "I don't think so", Mr Barker was filmed pushing him towards the cameras for another apology.
Mr Barker said after the meeting he intended to take his fight for justice to Gordon Brown.
He added: "I can see no moral justification for [Sir Ronnie] remaining in a role where he is overseeing other police forces."
Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan, who first exposed the flaws in the Omagh inquiry, also heaped blame on Sir Ronnie.
She said: "Six years ago I said this was a profoundly defective investigation. Who is responsible for that? The then Chief Constable."
But when asked whether he should quit his HMI job, Mrs O'Loan said: "I don't know how he's conducted himself in his current job so I don't think I can comment."
Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife Philomena in the bomb, said he believed Sir Ronnie should go.
"His apology is 10 years too late. He should have apologised at the time he said he would do away with himself - or fall on his sword, if anything else was found.
"Sorry is a very easy word but if he resigned he would get more respect."
Stanley McComb was widowed when his wife Ann died in the blast.
"It is simple to say sorry but sorry doesn't bring my wife back from the grave," he said.
"Ronnie Flanagan's apology is no good to me - it's results that we want, not apologies."
Sir Ronnie said he felt "desperately sad" when he heard remarks such as those made by Mr Barker.
He added: "But the hurt I experienced does not compare to the hurt they [the victims] will experience for the rest of their lives."
Two officers are currently under investigation for allegedly misleading the court during the Omagh trial and campaigners are piling on pressure for a cross-border public inquiry to be held.
Former RUC chief refuses to stand down over Omagh bomb
BY AARON TINNEY
a.tinney@newsletter. co.uk
FORMER RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan repeated last night that he was "desperately sorry" for his force's botched investigation into the 1998 Omagh bomb - but he rejected calls from some relatives of the victims for his resignation.
Sir Ronnie, now Her Majesty's Chief Inspectorate of Constabulary, said his resignation would bring "no positive outcome".
Last month Sean Hoey, 39, was cleared of a series of dissident republican attacks including the 29 Omagh murders.
Lord Justice Weir accused police witnesses of "beefing up" statements and said the treatment of vital DNA evidence had been "thoughtless" and "slapdash".
Sir Ronnie said that although he took responsibility for bungling the biggest probe in British legal history, he was not going to step down.
He said: "I have thought very carefully. The families' thoughts are very important to me but I do not see what positive outcome there would be through my resignation."
He also admitted to the BBC that forensic facilities "fell short of what was required" at the time of the investigation and said evidence labels were lost.
Sir Ronnie told a Press conference in 2001 that if his officers' investigation was found to be flawed he would not only resign, but also "publicly commit suicide".
He later withdrew the statement about killing himself, branding it "crass".
Yesterday English solicitor Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James was killed in the blast, said: "There was appalling inefficiency by Sir Ronnie Flanagan who said in the past he'd publicly fall on his sword. Well, I'll give him the sword."
A furious Mr Barker was also yesterday secretly recorded by UTV berating Sir Ronnie one-to-one behind the scenes of a Press conference.
In a heated exchange, the bereaved father told the police boss the judgment by Mr Justice Weir "condemned" him - and he repeatedly asked if he was going to resign.
When Sir Ronnie replied, "I don't think so", Mr Barker was filmed pushing him towards the cameras for another apology.
Mr Barker said after the meeting he intended to take his fight for justice to Gordon Brown.
He added: "I can see no moral justification for [Sir Ronnie] remaining in a role where he is overseeing other police forces."
Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan, who first exposed the flaws in the Omagh inquiry, also heaped blame on Sir Ronnie.
She said: "Six years ago I said this was a profoundly defective investigation. Who is responsible for that? The then Chief Constable."
But when asked whether he should quit his HMI job, Mrs O'Loan said: "I don't know how he's conducted himself in his current job so I don't think I can comment."
Kevin Skelton, who lost his wife Philomena in the bomb, said he believed Sir Ronnie should go.
"His apology is 10 years too late. He should have apologised at the time he said he would do away with himself - or fall on his sword, if anything else was found.
"Sorry is a very easy word but if he resigned he would get more respect."
Stanley McComb was widowed when his wife Ann died in the blast.
"It is simple to say sorry but sorry doesn't bring my wife back from the grave," he said.
"Ronnie Flanagan's apology is no good to me - it's results that we want, not apologies."
Sir Ronnie said he felt "desperately sad" when he heard remarks such as those made by Mr Barker.
He added: "But the hurt I experienced does not compare to the hurt they [the victims] will experience for the rest of their lives."
Two officers are currently under investigation for allegedly misleading the court during the Omagh trial and campaigners are piling on pressure for a cross-border public inquiry to be held.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/722
Published Date: 25-Jan-08
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