IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE
It is important that we hear as much detail as possible claims mother
THE, mother of schoolboy bomb victim, Alan Radford has defended the need for graphic evidence to be produced before the inquests.
Marion Radford was speaking after hearing detailed accounts of how police officers were forced to deal with appalling scenes among the dead and injured moments after the 350lb car bomb exploded.
Harrowing evidence from officers who arrived in the aftermath of the explosion were relayed to a hushed coroner's court this week.
RUG Constable Keith Hutchinson described how he had raced the 14 miles from Carrickmore police station to Omagh town centre in just 12 minutes after learning of the bomb alert. Following the explosion, shoppers some of them injured scattered from the scene.
The officer described coming across a young teenage girl with black hair who had been killed outright. Another tall, ginger haired male who he identified as Adrian Gallagher was lying face-up suffering from severe head injuries.
The constable also said he saw an injured woman sitting up shouting for her baby. He began to search through the rubble for the child and came across three people who were half buried. One of these had been decapitated. He covered the body with a sign and left to help other injured.
Constable Hutchinson later escorted frightened staff who were cowering at the rear of Radio Rentals premises.
Traffic Warden, Marguerita Larsen told the court how she had passed the Vauxhall Cavalier moments before it exploded. She described how there had been a light-hearted atmosphere in the town and people believed the bomb was just a hoax. Despite being warned, one woman passed her and went into the Salad Bowl moments before the explosion.
Mrs Larsen suffered hand injuries after the bomb detonated just yards from where she was standing at the junction of Market Street and the Dublin Road.
Another police witness described the 'acrid and pungent' smoke which hung in the air after the blast.
Constable Gary Harkness said the vast majority of the injured appeared hysterical. After treating the wounded, he accompanied other officers as they broke into premises in an effort to find survivors.
Sergeant Trevor Irvine, from Newtownstewart RUC station, was met at the scene by the injured Garry McGillion whose main concern lay for his fiance, Donna Marie Keyes, who lay at his feet suffering from serious burns. She was conscious and the policeman said he tried to assist her.
At the front of Mr G's he came across a number of bodies including that of a child whose clothes had been blown off. He then got a wooden shelf from the shop which acted as a makeshift stretcher for a badly injured young girl.
He went on to describe how he accompanied relatives of fellow officer, Edwin Cartwright, to identify the policeman's daughter, Debra-Anne, who had died in the blast.
Some of the most harrowing evidence came from Sergeant Peter Salters, a member of a police mobile support unit preparing to leave Omagh station for Kilkeel. The patrol had been diverted to deal with the scare and the sergeant was attempting to move customers from Sally O's pub shortly before the blast.
He estimated around 200 injuries at the scene. Some victims were obviously dead. With the aid of a first aid kit, he attempted to give what ever limited assistance he could to the 'crying, screaming and injured.'
A number of those fatally injured were lying face down with water from a burst main flowing over them. Body parts lay among scattered handbags, shoes and prams.
Because of their injuries, some of the victims were unrecognisable as being male or female.
On entering the Pine Emporium shop, the sergeant said he came across the body of a middle-aged woman who he believed was Libby Rush. He tried for a pulse but there was no sign of life. Bare electrical wires hung around him and at one point he received a shock.
On checking other premises he came across two ladies in McElroy's shoe shop who he helped to safety.
After a military doctor pronounced those at the scene dead, their bodies were wrapped in sheets and curtains before being stretchered to Market Street Arcade or Moira's shop.
Sgt Salters described how many of the bodies had been, 'horribly mutilated.' As he attempted to remove them 'body parts came away in my hands.' He counted 21 bodies at the scene.
Following the day's evidence, relatives of two young Buncrana victims, Shaun McLaughlin and Oran Doherty, expressed their 'admiration and gratitude' for the way RUC officers carried out their task.
Speaking on their behalf, curate Fr Shane Bradley said they wanted to convey their deep felt appreciation to all officers who had acted so courageously in the aftermath of the explosion.
"It is appreciated how traumatic the events of that day must have been for the individual officers and how harrowing it must still be to recall in such detail their actions on that August day," he said.
"These police officers, especially those who dealt directly with our young boys, will be forever held in high esteem for all they did on that fateful afternoon," the priest added.
Caroline Martin, sister of 36-year-old Esther Gibson who died in the blast, said the evidence had been very distressing for relatives. Sometimes she had to switch off, other times she listened to details which emerged.
Chairman of the Omagh Self Help and Support Group, Michael Gallagher felt the first hand accounts from police had been more distressing and graphic than video or photographic evidence previously screened.
He said families were 'terrified' of hearing something more terrible than they already knew. However, he felt the world should know what happened on that street.
One positive ray of hope emerged from the day's proceedings. A damaged watch belonging to young Alan Radford was returned to his mother, Marion.
Following the explosion, the teenager's wallet had been retrieved, but his watch had been missing for over two years"This is very important to me," Mrs Radford added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Coroner John Leckey and legal', representatives toured the centre of Omagh to see at first hand all possible escape routes from the bomb. The group was accompanied by Detective Inspector David McWilliams, one of the officers leading the hunt for the bombers.
THE, mother of schoolboy bomb victim, Alan Radford has defended the need for graphic evidence to be produced before the inquests.
Marion Radford was speaking after hearing detailed accounts of how police officers were forced to deal with appalling scenes among the dead and injured moments after the 350lb car bomb exploded.
Harrowing evidence from officers who arrived in the aftermath of the explosion were relayed to a hushed coroner's court this week.
RUG Constable Keith Hutchinson described how he had raced the 14 miles from Carrickmore police station to Omagh town centre in just 12 minutes after learning of the bomb alert. Following the explosion, shoppers some of them injured scattered from the scene.
The officer described coming across a young teenage girl with black hair who had been killed outright. Another tall, ginger haired male who he identified as Adrian Gallagher was lying face-up suffering from severe head injuries.
The constable also said he saw an injured woman sitting up shouting for her baby. He began to search through the rubble for the child and came across three people who were half buried. One of these had been decapitated. He covered the body with a sign and left to help other injured.
Constable Hutchinson later escorted frightened staff who were cowering at the rear of Radio Rentals premises.
Traffic Warden, Marguerita Larsen told the court how she had passed the Vauxhall Cavalier moments before it exploded. She described how there had been a light-hearted atmosphere in the town and people believed the bomb was just a hoax. Despite being warned, one woman passed her and went into the Salad Bowl moments before the explosion.
Mrs Larsen suffered hand injuries after the bomb detonated just yards from where she was standing at the junction of Market Street and the Dublin Road.
Another police witness described the 'acrid and pungent' smoke which hung in the air after the blast.
Constable Gary Harkness said the vast majority of the injured appeared hysterical. After treating the wounded, he accompanied other officers as they broke into premises in an effort to find survivors.
Sergeant Trevor Irvine, from Newtownstewart RUC station, was met at the scene by the injured Garry McGillion whose main concern lay for his fiance, Donna Marie Keyes, who lay at his feet suffering from serious burns. She was conscious and the policeman said he tried to assist her.
At the front of Mr G's he came across a number of bodies including that of a child whose clothes had been blown off. He then got a wooden shelf from the shop which acted as a makeshift stretcher for a badly injured young girl.
He went on to describe how he accompanied relatives of fellow officer, Edwin Cartwright, to identify the policeman's daughter, Debra-Anne, who had died in the blast.
Some of the most harrowing evidence came from Sergeant Peter Salters, a member of a police mobile support unit preparing to leave Omagh station for Kilkeel. The patrol had been diverted to deal with the scare and the sergeant was attempting to move customers from Sally O's pub shortly before the blast.
He estimated around 200 injuries at the scene. Some victims were obviously dead. With the aid of a first aid kit, he attempted to give what ever limited assistance he could to the 'crying, screaming and injured.'
A number of those fatally injured were lying face down with water from a burst main flowing over them. Body parts lay among scattered handbags, shoes and prams.
Because of their injuries, some of the victims were unrecognisable as being male or female.
On entering the Pine Emporium shop, the sergeant said he came across the body of a middle-aged woman who he believed was Libby Rush. He tried for a pulse but there was no sign of life. Bare electrical wires hung around him and at one point he received a shock.
On checking other premises he came across two ladies in McElroy's shoe shop who he helped to safety.
After a military doctor pronounced those at the scene dead, their bodies were wrapped in sheets and curtains before being stretchered to Market Street Arcade or Moira's shop.
Sgt Salters described how many of the bodies had been, 'horribly mutilated.' As he attempted to remove them 'body parts came away in my hands.' He counted 21 bodies at the scene.
Following the day's evidence, relatives of two young Buncrana victims, Shaun McLaughlin and Oran Doherty, expressed their 'admiration and gratitude' for the way RUC officers carried out their task.
Speaking on their behalf, curate Fr Shane Bradley said they wanted to convey their deep felt appreciation to all officers who had acted so courageously in the aftermath of the explosion.
"It is appreciated how traumatic the events of that day must have been for the individual officers and how harrowing it must still be to recall in such detail their actions on that August day," he said.
"These police officers, especially those who dealt directly with our young boys, will be forever held in high esteem for all they did on that fateful afternoon," the priest added.
Caroline Martin, sister of 36-year-old Esther Gibson who died in the blast, said the evidence had been very distressing for relatives. Sometimes she had to switch off, other times she listened to details which emerged.
Chairman of the Omagh Self Help and Support Group, Michael Gallagher felt the first hand accounts from police had been more distressing and graphic than video or photographic evidence previously screened.
He said families were 'terrified' of hearing something more terrible than they already knew. However, he felt the world should know what happened on that street.
One positive ray of hope emerged from the day's proceedings. A damaged watch belonging to young Alan Radford was returned to his mother, Marion.
Following the explosion, the teenager's wallet had been retrieved, but his watch had been missing for over two years"This is very important to me," Mrs Radford added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Coroner John Leckey and legal', representatives toured the centre of Omagh to see at first hand all possible escape routes from the bomb. The group was accompanied by Detective Inspector David McWilliams, one of the officers leading the hunt for the bombers.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1445
Published Date: 14-Sep-00
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