TYH/019

O'LOAN TO PROBE CHARITY MATCHES
Families seek investigation into police failure to act
BY TOMMY NETHERY

POLICE Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan is investigating the failure of police to investigate the mishandling of funds for the Omagh Town glamour soccer friendlies.
Mrs O'Loan is following up a complaint made by the Omagh Self Help Group regarding the failure of police to properly investigate the funds generated by three charity football matches held in Omagh in 1999.
The glamour games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea were organised by the now defunct Omagh Town Football Club in 1999 to raise funds for the victims of the Omagh bomb, which killed 31 people in August 15.
Almost £30,000 was paid to the Omagh Fund however, two TV exposes, the most recent back in June of this year, raised serious questions regarding the financial dealings of Omagh Town at that time. UTV's Insight programme focused on alleged discrepancies presented for audit following the games.
Insight also revealed that when the accounting irregularities first came to light victims' families took the decision to go to police accompanied by Brian Mellon, who had been hired to audit the accounts by Omagh District Council.
Despite assurances from police no investigation took place. Three further meetings with the RUC, including an input from Omagh District Council, failed to convince police to mount an investigation.
The Police Ombudsman confirmed she received an official complaint and a spokesman said "We have received a complaint that police failed to investigate the alleged mishandling of funds generated by a series of charity football matches held in Omagh in 1999."
Michael Gallagher, confirming he had lodged the complaint on behalf of the Omagh Self Help Group said "We were never happy with the way things were handled and the Insight programme revealed that the auditors weren't happy either.
"A lot of key questions were raised by the programme and it really was a combination of all the information coming together that we felt we were in a position to ask why the police never investigated this.
"We see this as important not just for our own case but so the PSNI know how to deal with similar instances in the future."
Mr Gallagher added that the fact that the TV programme had brought the whole issue back into the public arena had prompted the group to take the case to the Ombudsman.
Meanwhile, as a result of concerns expressed by the Omagh group, the PSNI have, as of last month, appointed a detective inspector to look at issues raised by the media and anything that is uncovered will be investigated. A spokesman said that those investigations were at an early stage.
"It is quite incredible that they are carrying out an investigation this late in the day when Omagh Town are out of business," added Mr Gallagher.
"Why was it not carried out in the first place? It seems to be a case of the closing the stable door when the horse has bolted."