Families dispute Loughinisland killings probe

Relatives of six men murdered by loyalists in the North in 1994 have insisted there was security force collusion in the killings.

Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson said there was insufficient evidence of collusion between the Ulster Volunteer Force and the police in the Loughinisland pub shootings.

But a niece of one of the oldest people killed during the conflict disputed this in the strongest terms.

“We feel that anyone who looks at the overwhelming evidence in this case with an open heart could come to no other conclusion than that there was collusion in the murder of our loved ones,” Moira Casement said.

Ms Casement's uncle, Barney Greene, 87, died in the shooting at the Heights Bar in rural Co Down.

It was busy with people watching the Republic of Ireland play Italy in a World Cup match. Two UVF members walked in and fired indiscriminately, killing six Catholics and wounding five others.

In a new report, the ombudsman said there was no evidence of collusion between police and the UVF gang in two areas of his investigation. There was also insufficient evidence of collusion surrounding the getaway car.

He said the police investigation lacked diligence, focus and leadership.

Ms Casement added: “Britain’s most senior policeman, Sir John Stevens, defined collusion as the wilful failure of police or Army to keep records. He said collusion also included the absence of accountability as well as the withholding of intelligence and evidence.

“Mr Hutchinson found clear evidence of the wilful failure to keep records and he found overwhelming evidence of the absence of accountability. We even have the senior investigating officer refusing to even speak to ombudsman investigators.”