Police blamed as bank-heist charges dropped

Police chiefs were tonight accused of running a botched investigation into the £26.5m (€392.2m) Northern Bank robbery after charges were dropped against two suspects.

A Democratic Unionist Assemblyman claimed public confidence in the police's ability to handle major cases was being destroyed.

Jim Wells delivered his scathing assessment of the inquiry following a dramatic court hearing in which Dominic McEvoy (aged 23), a builder from Co Down, was told he would no longer have to stand trial for the December 2004 heist in Belfast, blamed on the IRA.

Allegations that another man, Martin McAliskey (aged 40), withheld information and attempted to pervert the course of justice were also withdrawn.

Solicitors for both men protested at the city’s Magistrates’ Court, and later the North’s chief constable, Hugh Orde, admitted: “It’s a setback.”

Mr Wells, a South Down MLA and deputy speaker at the transitional Stormont Assembly, claimed it was a big embarrassment for the force.

He said: “This unfortunately isn’t the first time that the police’s level of detective work has failed to meet the mark.

“It’s quite worrying that again it seems to be lack of diligence by the PSNI has left us in this position.

“It undermines public confidence in policing because obviously this was a major, major event in Northern Ireland’s history.

“Because of that police should have made sure the case was robust and clearly they haven’t.”

The Public Prosecution Service decided McEvoy, of Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, no longer had a case to answer for allegedly carrying out the robbery after studying files submitted by police.

A charge that he imprisoned bank supervisor Kevin McMullan and his wife Karen at their home in Loughinisland, Co Down, was also withdrawn.

Mrs McMullan was seized, blindfolded and held for 24 hours as her husband was ordered to go into work as part of the plan to clear the vaults at the Northern’s Belfast city-centre HQ.

McAliskey, a salesman from Ballybeg Road, Coalisland, Co Tyrone, had been blamed due to the white Ford Transit van allegedly used to load the stolen money.

A third man, Northern Bank staff member Chris Ward (aged 25), from Poleglass, west Belfast, is still accused of the robbery.

He was remanded on bail to appear again later this month.

The raid, which at the time was the biggest cash heist in UK history, wrecked attempts to revive the North‘s power-sharing government.

With Garda and PSNI chiefs blaming the IRA for the raid, outraged unionists refused to consider any new devolved administration involving Sinn Féin.

Northern Bank issued a complete batch of new notes in a bid to make the stolen currency worthless.

With the authorities under increasing pressure to secure convictions, the dropped charges were a major blow to one of the biggest investigations yet mounted by the PSNI.

“These cases are extremely complicated,” said Orde after the court hearing.

“The robbery itself was carried out by a competent group of criminals. We attributed it to the Provisional IRA at the time and I don’t detract from that statement one bit.

“This was a particularly brutal crime. People were extremely badly treated and assaulted by the gang.

“Today is a setback, it would be fair to say.”

The chief constable stressed one of those charged by his officers is still due to stand trial, and he pledged to press ahead with the inquiry.

With some of the stolen notes having later turned up in the Republic, Orde also confirmed he has held recent talks with Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy.

“Their case is continuing,” he told BBC Radio Ulster.

“This one (investigation) still has a very large number of detectives on it.”

Nevertheless, Sinn Féin Assembly member Caitríona Ruane hit out at the handling of the investigation, saying it was dominated by a “political agenda”.

The South Down MLA said: “Since the widely publicised raids in Kilcoo and the subsequent arrest and charging of Dominic McEvoy in relation to the Northern Bank raid it has become increasingly clear to anyone looking at the case impartially that not a shred of evidence existed against this young man.

“The entire investigation into the Northern Bank robbery has been dominated by political detectives working to a particular political agenda.

“It was never about finding those responsible. It has always been about trying to implicate republicans. To date they have failed and will continue to fail.”

She added: “It is welcome that finally these charges and those against a Coalisland man have finally been dropped and their personal nightmare is over.

“However, very serious questions remain about the PSNI conduct throughout this entire investigation.”