EVIDENCE GATHERED IN OMAGH BOMBING BEING RE-EXAMINED
Evidence gathered in Omagh bombing 'being re-examined'
BY DAVID YOUNG
newsdesk@newsletter.co.uk
EVIDENCE in the Omagh bomb case is being re-examined to establish whether there are grounds to re-try the man acquitted of the 29 murders, police said yesterday.
The move has come after two officers accused of lying in the Crown Court trial of Co Armagh electrician Sean Hoey, 38, two years ago were cleared by the Police Ombudsman.
Earlier this week four other men were found responsible for the 1998 bombing in a landmark civil action in Belfast High Court taken by families of the victims.
In December 2007, Hoey was found not guilty of the bombing and a series of other Real IRA attacks around that time.
In his judgment, trial judge Mr Justice Reg Weir criticised the evidence presented by the prosecution and in particular accused two scene-of-crime officers of misleading the court on material recovered from the scene of a bomb find in a forest in Tyrone.
But earlier this year ombudsman Al Hutchinson cleared the officers of a deliberate deception and questioned the defence team's claim that the evidence from Altmore Forest had been wrongly handled.
On the back of these findings, the police have now undertaken a comprehensive review of all the evidence from Altmore and the other Real IRA attacks, including Omagh, to see if a new case can be brought against Hoey.
Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris gave details of the re-examination during a meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast yesterday.
"After the Ombudsman reports of February this year we have revisited all of the evidence again, not only in respect of the Omagh bombing but other bombing attacks around that time involving the Real IRA," he said, before striking a note of caution.
"Working through that what we are looking for is new evidential opportunities, realistically we have to find substantial new evidence if there is any possibility of a criminal prosecution."
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden, 21, was killed at Omagh, welcomed the police initiative.
"This news can only be good news," he said.
"We support the police in everything they are trying to do to bring more answers to the families.
"But while we don't want to interrupt their investigations, we feel it is very important that the police contact the families and work with them on this."
Mr Harris outlined the form of the review in response to a question from independent member of the Policing Board Trevor Ringland, who asked if the ombudsman's findings had opened up the possibility of a re-trial.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution Service announced yesterday that it was examining the findings of the Omagh civil case to see if it provided a basis on which to bring fresh criminal proceedings.
"The Director (of Public Prosecutions) has asked senior prosecutors to review the judgment of (case judge) Mr Justice Morgan and consult with police to see whether further evidence might be available to them," said a PPS spokeswoman.
BY DAVID YOUNG
newsdesk@newsletter.co.uk
EVIDENCE in the Omagh bomb case is being re-examined to establish whether there are grounds to re-try the man acquitted of the 29 murders, police said yesterday.
The move has come after two officers accused of lying in the Crown Court trial of Co Armagh electrician Sean Hoey, 38, two years ago were cleared by the Police Ombudsman.
Earlier this week four other men were found responsible for the 1998 bombing in a landmark civil action in Belfast High Court taken by families of the victims.
In December 2007, Hoey was found not guilty of the bombing and a series of other Real IRA attacks around that time.
In his judgment, trial judge Mr Justice Reg Weir criticised the evidence presented by the prosecution and in particular accused two scene-of-crime officers of misleading the court on material recovered from the scene of a bomb find in a forest in Tyrone.
But earlier this year ombudsman Al Hutchinson cleared the officers of a deliberate deception and questioned the defence team's claim that the evidence from Altmore Forest had been wrongly handled.
On the back of these findings, the police have now undertaken a comprehensive review of all the evidence from Altmore and the other Real IRA attacks, including Omagh, to see if a new case can be brought against Hoey.
Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris gave details of the re-examination during a meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast yesterday.
"After the Ombudsman reports of February this year we have revisited all of the evidence again, not only in respect of the Omagh bombing but other bombing attacks around that time involving the Real IRA," he said, before striking a note of caution.
"Working through that what we are looking for is new evidential opportunities, realistically we have to find substantial new evidence if there is any possibility of a criminal prosecution."
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden, 21, was killed at Omagh, welcomed the police initiative.
"This news can only be good news," he said.
"We support the police in everything they are trying to do to bring more answers to the families.
"But while we don't want to interrupt their investigations, we feel it is very important that the police contact the families and work with them on this."
Mr Harris outlined the form of the review in response to a question from independent member of the Policing Board Trevor Ringland, who asked if the ombudsman's findings had opened up the possibility of a re-trial.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution Service announced yesterday that it was examining the findings of the Omagh civil case to see if it provided a basis on which to bring fresh criminal proceedings.
"The Director (of Public Prosecutions) has asked senior prosecutors to review the judgment of (case judge) Mr Justice Morgan and consult with police to see whether further evidence might be available to them," said a PPS spokeswoman.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/798
Published Date: 12-Jun-09
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