Crime & Law

No evidence of police collusion in investigation into 1978 La Mon House Hotel bombing, ombudsman says

Judge at trial said he could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that statements were not ‘adduced by torture’

Families, friends and campaigners outside the office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in Belfast, ahead of the publication of a report on the IRA's 1978 bombing at the La Mon hotel on the outskirts of the city. Photograph: Oliver McVeigh/PA Wire
Families, friends and campaigners outside the office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in Belfast, ahead of the publication of a report on the IRA's 1978 bombing at the La Mon hotel on the outskirts of the city. Photograph: Oliver McVeigh/PA Wire
Wed Dec 11 2024 - 16:52

There was no evidence of police collusion in the investigation into the 1978 La Mon House Hotel bombing, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has said.

Twelve people were killed and scores injured in the atrocity when the Provisional IRA exploded a bomb at the hotel on the outskirts of Belfast in 1978.

The ombudsman said despite concerns that informants may have been involved in the bombing, “collusive behaviours” were not a feature of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) investigation.

Paul Holmes, senior director of investigations with the ombudsman, said investigators did not find evidence or intelligence that would support the suggestion of malpractice by police officers and found no intelligence which could have forewarned of, or prevented, the bombing.

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“The substantial police investigation files, associated documentation and intelligence records reviewed by this office, together with explanatory accounts from a number of former police officers and other inquiries, lead me to conclude that there was earnest endeavour by the RUC to bring those responsible for the bombing of La Mon House to justice,” he said.

“However, maintenance of the investigation did not have the same rigour and this manifested in the loss of investigative material and the failure to interview the person arrested in 1991 in relation to the bombing. I am of the view, based on all available evidence and information, that collusive behaviours were not a feature of this RUC investigation.

“The evidence and intelligence viewed by the Police Ombudsman’s investigation attributes responsibility for directing, enabling and perpetrating the bombing of La Mon House to the Provisional IRA.”

The ombudsman’s report, published on Wednesday, considered the effectiveness of the RUC investigation, including the resulting prosecutions against two men.

One of the men was convicted of 12 counts of manslaughter in 1981, while the other was acquitted during his trial in 1980 after he alleged he had been assaulted by police while in custody. At the 1980 trial, the judge said he could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the man’s statements had not been “adduced by torture or inhuman or degrading treatment” and the statements were excluded. The case was dismissed in the absence of other evidence.

Mr Holmes said the judge’s comments and trial outcome pointed to “a violation of the rule of law by the police officers involved”. He also said a loss of records and exhibits from the original investigation was “frustrating” and affected investigators’ ability to properly assess the RUC’s response.

The PSNI said it is aware of the “hurt and anger” of the families affected by the La Mon atrocity.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the organisation’s thoughts are with the families and friends of those killed and injured in the “cowardly attack on innocent people socialising on a night out”.

“The report has found that police held no intelligence prior to the attack that could have prevented it and also found that there was no evidence that any persons were protected from prosecution,” he said. – PA