Ex-British police chief overseeing Omagh bomb review

A former British police chief who probed the role of the RUC Special Branch in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing has been called in to investigate the ongoing failure to convict those behind the atrocity.

Dan Crompton has been overseeing a review ordered by the Policing Board following the acquittal of Sean Hoey in connection with the bombing last year, but his involvement was only disclosed today.

The judge in the Hoey trial and the relatives of some of the victims were severely critical of the PSNI over the way its officers handled the case.

Mr Crompton is due to deliver a verbal update to the Policing Board this week and has been told to have his final report completed by the end of next month.

He previously recommended major changes to Special Branch in the North after the Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan severely criticised the original RUC investigation into the Omagh bombing.