Murdered officer’s family demand judge-led inquiry into 1992 IRA attack

By Rebecca Black, PA

The family of a young female police officer killed in an IRA bomb attack have called for a judge-led inquiry.

Constable Colleen McMurray, 34, was in a police car which was hit by a mortar bomb as it travelled along Merchants Quay in Newry on March 27, 1992.

She suffered serious injuries and died in hospital, while another officer who had been driving the car suffered life-changing injuries

No-one has ever been found responsible for the attack.

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman found that while the RUC could not have prevented the bombing, there were investigative failures.

The Ombudsman’s report comes 17 years after Ms McMurray’s widower Philip lodged a complaint regarding the original RUC investigation into the murder.

He's accusing the authorities of attempting to cover up the circumstances surrounding his wife's murder:

In a statement, the McMurray family said they have lost all faith and trust in the available mechanisms to investigate collusion in Northern Ireland.

They are calling for Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis to establish a judge-led statutory inquiry with full and unfettered powers to compel evidence and information and, if criminal liability is exposed, to make recommendations to the relevant prosecuting authorities.

The family of a police officer killed in an IRA mortar attack in Newry in 1992 have called for a judge led statutory inquiry into the murder.https://t.co/T3koFyze9D

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) September 30, 2021

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the need for answers is “unquestionable”.

He described a “brutal PIRA murder which robbed a family of their daughter and a husband of his wife”.

He added: “The need for answers is unquestionable given what both families have endured.

“I welcome the report being published but recognise that further questions remain.

“Whilst the Ombudsman has found that the RUC could not have prevented the attack, there are questions to be answered around how the subsequent investigation was handled.

“I understand the family calling for a judge-led inquiry. The decision to choose only some cases for inquiries was a mistake by successive governments. Why was one murder deserving of such scrutiny but another not?

“This report reminds us that terrorists remain at large in our community. People who took life and left victims with life-altering injuries. It is therefore another reminder of why victims’ access to justice must never be closed down.”

(Constable Colleen McMurray)

Earlier this week, Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson found no evidence that officers were in possession of information which, if acted upon, could have prevented the attack.

However the Ombudsman found police failed to disseminate intelligence about a police informant amid other investigative failings.

Mrs Anderson identified that RUC Special Branch did not provide colleagues with information about people it suspected were in the IRA and may have been involved in the attack.

She said this had the effect of undermining the RUC investigation, with several people never being treated as suspects.

Mr McMurray said the length of time the report took to complete “compounded the frustrations and suspicions” of the family.

“The findings whilst welcomed in part do not go far enough,” he said.

“It is clear that RUC Special Branch held intelligence on key suspects involved in the murder of Constable McMurray.

“Why was the intelligence not shared or subjected to dissemination to RUC CID investigators?

“The families are of the view there was collusion between the PIRA and British Security Forces which is politically difficult for both the Provisional IRA and the British state to allow to be investigated.

“Constable McMurray was murdered by the PIRA assisted by members of the British Security Forces.

“The family of Constable McMurray strongly contend that her murder could have been prevented.

“Previous chief constables have failed to investigate the murder of Constable McMurray. The current chief constable cannot be trusted with the investigation into the murder of Constable McMurray as he will not be allowed to investigate her murder in an independent manner.

“Philip McMurray and the McFarland family therefore call on the Security of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis to establish a judge-led statutory inquiry into the murder of Constable McMurray as soon as possible.”

Responding to the report, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan said he was “truly sorry” for “shortcomings in the handling of information and the subsequent police investigation”.

He added: “As we have previously stated the practice and policies that govern intelligence matters and police investigations today are unrecognisable from what was in place at the time of the attack. I acknowledge the fact that the Ombudsman has recognised this in her report.

“I also acknowledge that the Ombudsman has recognised the operating context at the time; the lack of a legislative framework and the operational dangers faced by police officers serving their community.

“Sadly it remains the case that no person has been brought to justice for this terrible crime and today, with the publication of the Police Ombudsman’s report, details of this brutal attack are fresh in people’s minds, I would make a renewed appeal for the people who know who did this to come forward to us with information.”

Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson. Her report found no evidence that officers were in possession of information which, if acted upon, could have prevented the attack on Constable McMurry. However the Ombudsman found police failed to disseminate intelligence about a police informant amid other investigative failings.