PSNI officers cleared over Omagh trial 'deception'

Two PSNI officers accused of lying under oath in the Omagh bomb trial will not face prosecution after being cleared of wrongdoing by the Police Ombudsman.

The trial judge had accused the pair of deliberate and calculated deception and had referred them to the Public Prosecution Service in the North.

However, in a report out today, Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson says the officers were confused, but not deceitful.

The officers had told the court they were wearing forensic gloves and overalls when they collected evidence about a bomb linked to the Omagh atrocity.

A photograph turned up by the defence, however, showed the officers in ordinary clothes, raising the possibility of contamination of evidence.

The Ombudsman says he has ascertained that the photograph was taken after forensic tests had been completed.