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18/02/2005
No police involvement in past Newry killing
A Police Ombudsman report has found no evidence to support an allegation that a Newry man was murdered in 1990 at the instigation of police.
Eoin Morley was shot twice on the night of Easter Sunday, April 15 1990 at a house in Derrybeg, Newry. He was taken to the local Daisy Hill Hospital but died a few hours later from his injuries. The IRA said they had carried out the attack.
However, today’s report said the police investigation of the murder had significant failings and claimed that Special Branch withheld information from the officers investigating the murder.
Police Ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan said her investigators found no evidence to suggest police instigated the murder: “There is nothing to indicate any prior knowledge by the police of or involvement in Mr Morley’s death. Nor is there any evidence or intelligence to indicate that there was an attempt by police to provoke a feud between the IRA and the IPLO,” she said.
Mrs O’Loan, however, partially substantiated the allegation that police officers failed to arrest a known suspect.
“There is nothing within the murder file to indicate that anyone was arrested in connection with the murder,” she said. “High-grade intelligence was held by the RUC in relation to a number of individuals who were named as being responsible for the murder. The individuals were not arrested.”
Commenting on the case further, Mrs O’Loan said it was important in looking at the police failures in this investigation to bear in mind that they occurred almost 15 years ago: “The PSNI has recently reorganised its crime department to professionalise serious crime investigation. There is now a much greater emphasis on the training of detectives. I believe these developments should give the public greater confidence in the present ability of the police to tackle murder and serious crime.
“The government has also announced funding for a new unit which will look at unsolved murder investigations from the past. Hopefully it will ensure that investigations into events such as Mr Morley’s death, where evidential opportunities still exist, are exploited and criminals are brought to justice.”
The investigation into Eoin Morley’s death has since been reopened by the PSNI.
(MB/SP)
Eoin Morley was shot twice on the night of Easter Sunday, April 15 1990 at a house in Derrybeg, Newry. He was taken to the local Daisy Hill Hospital but died a few hours later from his injuries. The IRA said they had carried out the attack.
However, today’s report said the police investigation of the murder had significant failings and claimed that Special Branch withheld information from the officers investigating the murder.
Police Ombudsman, Nuala O’Loan said her investigators found no evidence to suggest police instigated the murder: “There is nothing to indicate any prior knowledge by the police of or involvement in Mr Morley’s death. Nor is there any evidence or intelligence to indicate that there was an attempt by police to provoke a feud between the IRA and the IPLO,” she said.
Mrs O’Loan, however, partially substantiated the allegation that police officers failed to arrest a known suspect.
“There is nothing within the murder file to indicate that anyone was arrested in connection with the murder,” she said. “High-grade intelligence was held by the RUC in relation to a number of individuals who were named as being responsible for the murder. The individuals were not arrested.”
Commenting on the case further, Mrs O’Loan said it was important in looking at the police failures in this investigation to bear in mind that they occurred almost 15 years ago: “The PSNI has recently reorganised its crime department to professionalise serious crime investigation. There is now a much greater emphasis on the training of detectives. I believe these developments should give the public greater confidence in the present ability of the police to tackle murder and serious crime.
“The government has also announced funding for a new unit which will look at unsolved murder investigations from the past. Hopefully it will ensure that investigations into events such as Mr Morley’s death, where evidential opportunities still exist, are exploited and criminals are brought to justice.”
The investigation into Eoin Morley’s death has since been reopened by the PSNI.
(MB/SP)
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