Historical Reports

Patrick Kelly’s Family ‘Failed By Police’

The Police Ombudsman has concluded that the family of Patrick Kelly, abducted and murdered in 1974, was ‘failed by police’ as the result of a ‘wholly inadequate investigation’

PDF: Full public statement

Young men were subjected to coercion and oppression before “confessing” to terrorist crimes

A Police Ombudsman investigation has concluded that four young men arrested in Derry/Londonderry in 1979 were treated unfairly and made ‘confessional’ statements which were not voluntary according to the sta...

PDF: Full public statement

Public Statement: The murder of Denis Donaldson

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman has found no evidence that police leaked information about the whereabouts of former Sinn Féin member and self-declared informant Denis Donaldson prior to his murder ...

PDF: Full public statement

Investigative and intelligence failures and collusive behaviours by police in relation to series of murders by south Belfast UDA/UFF

The Police Ombudsman has today (Tuesday 8 February 2022) issued a public statement which identifies significant investigative and intelligence failures and “collusive behaviours” by the RUC in relation to a ...

PDF: Full public statement

Collusive behaviours but no prior knowledge of attacks

The Police Ombudsman has today published a report into the RUC's handling of paramilitary attacks by the UDA/UFF between 1989 and 1993 which resulted in 19 murders and multiple attempted murders. The Ombudsm...

PDF: Full public statement

Police could not have prevented IRA mortar attack

The Police Ombudsman has found no evidence that police were in possession of information which, if acted upon, could have prevented an IRA mortar attack in Newry 1992 in which a police officer was killed and...

PDF: Public statement

Murder of Damien Walsh: “Significant investigative failures and collusive behaviours” by police

The Police Ombudsman, Mrs Marie Anderson, has identified significant investigative failures by the RUC in relation to the murder of 17-year-old Damien Walsh in 1993, as well as evidence of ‘collusive behavio...

PDF: Public statement - The Murder of Damien Walsh

Significant police failures in relation to the deaths of four people at the outset of 'The Troubles'

The Police Ombudsman, Marie Anderson, has identified significant operational and investigative failures by the RUC in relation to the deaths of four people during severe disorder in Belfast on the night of 1...

Statutory Report: Significant police failures in relation to the deaths of four people at the outset of 'The Troubles'

RUC did not protect murderers from justice

A Police Ombudsman investigation has found no evidence to indicate that RUC officers were complicit in the murder of a colleague nor protected those responsible from investigation.

New information adds weight to evidence linking RUC officers to assault: Police Ombudsman

An investigation by the Police Ombudsman’s Office has found new evidence about an attack on a man, during which he sustained injuries which led to his death.

PDF: Full Public Statement - "The circumstances surrounding the death of Mr John Hemsworth on 1 January 1998"