Families of UDA murder victims ‘vindicated by ombudsman report’

A memorial on Ormeau Road in Belfast to Jack Duffin, William McManus, Chirsty Doherty, Peter Magee, and James Kennedy, who were killed during the attack at Sean Graham bookmakers in 1992 by loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Defence Association (Liam McBurney/PA)

Relatives of those killed and injured in a series of UDA attacks said they have been vindicated following a Police Ombudsman report which found evidence of “collusive behaviours” by police.

Eight loyalist attacks attributed to the UDA were examined in the ombudsman’s 344-page report published on Tuesday.

Among the atrocities probed were the Sean Graham bookmakers massacre on the Ormeau Road in Belfast in February 1992 in which five people lost their lives.

Among her findings in a 344-page report, Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson said Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) files relating to the bookmakers massacre had been deliberately destroyed.

A memorial on Ormeau Road in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mark Sykes, a survivor of the attack, said: “This is a long report, which will take families days to process and come to terms with.

“Immediately families are shocked to read in the report that eight British state agents were involved in 27 murders and attempted murders.”

Mr Sykes said the report showed that state agents were “a protected species” as information about their actions was not shared with investigating officers.

The report also covered the murders of Harry Conlon and Aidan Wallace by the UDA in 1991.

Paul Conlon, the son of Harry Conlon, said: “This report contains devastating details regarding the killing of our father.”

The report also examined the murder of Theresa Clinton in 1994.

Her daughter Siobhan Clinton said there were “deliberate practices” of collusion in the murder of her mother.

She said: “The Police Ombudsman said a senior RUC officer decided not to warn my father and that had he been warned she finds that my mother’s murder could have been prevented.”