Ombusdman 'needs to weed out informants'

Incoming Northern Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson should carry out a root and branch overhaul to weed out those allegedly leaking sensitive security force material, a retired policeman said today.

Jimmy Spratt was speaking after police cleared current watchdog Nuala O’Loan of passing on secret details of her report into the loyalist murder of Raymond McCord Jnr, 22, in 1997, in which collusion with the security forces was suspected.

The Retired Police Officers’ Association claimed the Official Secrets Act and Police Act had been broken but detectives were unable to find any evidence.

Former officer-turned Democratic Unionist Assemblyman Mr Spratt said: “There has been a steady flow of leaks to the press so Al Hutchinson needs to have a root and branch look at his department and clear out the baggage that was left behind by Nuala O’Loan.

“If that is done there can be a new dawn and a new start and he will have co-operation from police.”

He claimed Mrs O’Loan, who steps down this autumn to be replaced by the former Canadian Mountie, had lost all confidence among serving and former police.

The former Police Federation chairman, who retired in 2002, added that the dispute over the Ombudsman’s critical McCord report was not over.

Her dossier, published in January this year, found evidence of collusion between Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch officers and a north Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force group, which murdered up to 16 people.

Mrs O’Loan said she was not surprised by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s conclusions about her office.

“I had expected this outcome but nevertheless I am very pleased to have received the news that police have found no substance to the allegations,” she said.

“The allegations made against me and my staff were very, very serious – I knew that the very small group of staff who had worked on the particular investigation had worked very hard and very closely, and I knew there was no substance to it.”

A PSNI spokesman said: “The PSNI has completed a thorough investigation and all parties involved have been informed of the outcome of that investigation.

“It would not be appropriate for a police organisation to comment further on the details or outcome.”

A spokesman for the retired officers association said: “We are glad that this matter has been thoroughly investigated and has been taken very seriously.”