Pub gun attack survivor in High Court bid to force new collusion probe

A man who survived a loyalist gun attack on a village pub nearly 27 years ago has received a boost in his ongoing High Court battle to secure a fresh police investigation.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Jun 2019, 20:21 BST
The funeral of Peter McCormack, who was murdered by the UVF at a bar in Kilcoo in 1992The funeral of Peter McCormack, who was murdered by the UVF at a bar in Kilcoo in 1992
The funeral of Peter McCormack, who was murdered by the UVF at a bar in Kilcoo in 1992

John McEvoy is seeking to judicially review an alleged failure by the chief constable to order an independent probe into the shooting at the Thierafurth Inn in Kilcoo, Co Down.

One man, 42-year-old Peter McCormack, was killed when a UVF gang burst in and opened fire in November 1992.

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A number of others in the pub where a darts tournament was being held were also injured.

Mr McEvoy, who was working behind the bar, narrowly escaped being shot but developed severe post traumatic stress disorder, according to papers in the case.

His case is based on information he says points to collusion between the security forces and the UVF operating in the south Down area at the time.

It followed the publication of a police ombudsman report into the Loughinisland massacre.

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In that attack loyalist gunmen murdered six Catholic men watching a World Cup football match in June 1994.

In 2016 the Ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire, identified collusion with some police as a significant feature in the Loughinisland murders.

Lawyers for Mr McEvoy claim the PSNI rejected a subsequent request to have the Thierafurth Inn shootings reinvestigated.

A new documentary film on the Loughinisland killings which named suspects, No Stone Unturned, strengthens the case for an independent probe, they contend.

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Proceedings had been on hold as part of a backlog of so-called legacy cases before the courts.

But according to Mr McEvoy’s solicitor a judge has mapped out steps to progress some of those within the “cohort” of litigation.

Gavin Booth said his client had expected an immediate police investigation after the documentary was released.

“For the first time the perpetrators of the attempt to murder Mr McEvoy and others in the pub were identified and we believe that an investigation should now immediately happen, especially following the identification of the suspects,” he said.

“The families today welcome the announcement of the court to deal with these outstanding legacy cases and to provide them with the timetable to have their cases heard.”