Jim Allister: I welcome Loughinisland ruling, which confirms that police have a right to expect probes against them to be properly conducted

I welcome today’s judgement by the Court of Appeal that the Police Ombudsman’s statement about the Loughinisland murders “overstepped the mark” by amounting to findings of criminal offences by members of the police force.
By Jim Allister
Published 18th Jun 2020, 21:49 BST
Updated 18th Jun 2020, 22:14 BST
Dr Michael Maguire, the then Police Ombudsman, in 2016 at the launch of his report on Loughinisland, when he said in the report and at its launch, that he found collusion in the loyalist massacre. The appeal court however has found that he over stepped the mark in some of his findingsDr Michael Maguire, the then Police Ombudsman, in 2016 at the launch of his report on Loughinisland, when he said in the report and at its launch, that he found collusion in the loyalist massacre. The appeal court however has found that he over stepped the mark in some of his findings
Dr Michael Maguire, the then Police Ombudsman, in 2016 at the launch of his report on Loughinisland, when he said in the report and at its launch, that he found collusion in the loyalist massacre. The appeal court however has found that he over stepped the mark in some of his findings

Not for the first time the ombudsman’s office has been found to have exceeded its legal powers. What I consider to be the stinging rebuke of Dr Michael Maguire’s work should serve as a salutary lesson to his successor.

The lord chief justice rightly points out that both victims and the police have a right to expect proper conduct by the ombudsman in relation to complaints.

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Clearly in respect of police officers that hasn’t been the case in relation to Loughinisland.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Jim Allister QC MLA, TUV leader, North Antrim

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