Dermot Ahern: Difficult to solve gun murders

CHARGES have been brought in just a quarter of all gun murders since 1998, statistics show.

Official figures reveal there have been 167 gun murders between 1998 and February 20, 2009. There have been prosecutions in 43 murders, representing 26% of all cases.

Convictions have been secured in 19 cases, representing 44% of prosecutions and 11% of gun murders.