A senior police officer has acknowledged the “dignity and persistence” of the family of Robert Hamill after a long-awaited public inquiry this week found an investigation into his murder had been obstructed by a series of wrongful acts and omissions by RUC officers.
Mr Hamill, a 25-year-old Catholic father-of-three, was beaten by a loyalist mob at the Thomas Street/Woodhouse Street junction in Portadown town centre in the early hours of April 27, 1997, as he and friends walked home from a dance at St Patrick’s Hall. He never regained consciousness and died in hospital 11 days later.
Even before the violence was brought under control there were allegations that the Land Rover crew could have done more to avert the incident. Within days rumours were circulating within the Catholic community in Portadown to the effect that the police sat in the Land Rover watching the violence and did not intervene because their sympathies were with the Protestant assailants. There was also a rumour that at least one of the officers knew one or more of the attackers.
The long-awaited report of the public inquiry was finally published on Monday, almost 15 years after it was first completed.
The Inquiry panel found that the officers were not aware Mr Hamill was being attacked, as their attention was on two other men at their vehicle, and did not condone or collude with the attackers.
Two of the three panel members cleared the Land Rover crew of any wrongdoing; the Inquiry’s original chairman, Sir Edwin Jowitt, took the view that each officer was guilty of a wrongful omission for failing to keep watch, though all three agreed the distraction did not facilitate Mr Hamill’s death.
The report is far more critical of the murder investigation that followed. It sets out a series of wrongful acts and omissions by named officers, including a failure to debrief officers who had been at the scene, a failure to record a warning about a suspect, and delays in pursuing a “tip-off” allegation that a Reserve Constable had advised a suspect to dispose of clothing.
Responding to the publication, the PSNI’s Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally acknowledged the report and the “profound impact” of Mr Hamill’s murder on his family and all those affected.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening – two days after the Inquiry findings were made public – ACC McNally said: “Robert Hamill was an innocent young man killed by a despicable act of sectarian hatred. The pain of such a grievous loss does not fade and I am acutely aware that this report will be very upsetting for the family. My thoughts are with them.
“The report identifies serious and unacceptable failings in the Royal Ulster Constabulary’s response to the murder in April 1997 and in the subsequent investigation. These included failures in the initial debriefing of officers, the recording and pursuit of information, the direction and oversight of the murder investigation, and the handling of the allegation that Reserve Constable Atkinson had tipped off a suspect.
“The Inquiry found that these failures obstructed the murder investigation. It also found that, while the Land Rover crew did not condone or collude with the attackers, they failed to appreciate that Robert Hamill was being attacked before they left their vehicle. We recognise the distress these findings will cause, particularly to the Hamill family.
“The report is clear that shortcomings in supervision, investigative practice, record-keeping, forensic strategy and accountability had serious consequences. The standards expected of policing were not met.
“The PSNI has changed fundamentally since 1997, including through the establishment of independent police oversight and the development of modern major-crime investigation, public-order, forensic-management, professional-standards and critical-incident arrangements. However, the passage of time and organisational change do not diminish the gravity of the Inquiry’s findings or the need to learn from them.
“The report also recognises reforms already introduced in these areas. We will assess its findings and recommendations against current PSNI policy, training, assurance and governance arrangements, and work with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and other relevant partners where appropriate.
“We acknowledge the dignity and persistence of the Hamill family over many years. Robert Hamill’s death, and the failures identified by the Inquiry, must continue to inform policing and our commitment to impartial, accountable and effective service to every community.”
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