Ombudsman slams RUC investigation into 1997 murder

The North’s Police Ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan, has severely criticised the RUC’s investigation of a 1997 murder in Co Derry.

In a report published today, Ms O’Loan described the investigation into the murder of GAA official Seán Brown by loyalist paramilitaries in May 1997 as incompetent.

She said forensic evidence was not followed up, an eye-witness was not questioned and records of car movements were not investigated.

In addition, 19 pieces of Special Branch intelligence, including six of a highly relevant nature, were not passed on to detectives.

Ms O’Loan said there was no evidence of RUC collusion in the murder, but such collusion could not be ruled out because key files had gone missing.