Independent experts to examine Omagh bomb evidence

Published on Friday 4 January 2008 01:03

A TEAM of independent experts will be appointed to re-examine evidence from the Omagh bombing in an attempt to bring those responsible to justice, it emerged last night.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board will set up an independent external overview of past investigations into the atrocity, which killed 29 people in 1998.

The move came as it was revealed that two police officers accused of misleading the court during the trial of Sean Hoey, who was last month acquitted of the bombing, could now face criminal charges themselves.

The Police Ombudsman's Office has confirmed it has passed files on the two scene-of-crime officers to the Public Prosecution Service.

Jeffrey Donaldson, a member of the policing board, said the independent overview would look afresh at the Omagh case. The board voted unanimously to appoint the overview team after a five-hour meeting in Belfast.

"The objective is to re-focus on the evidence and bring the focus back again on the need to secure a prosecution."

In his damning judgement after dismissing 58 charges against Mr Hoey, 38, an electrician, Mr Justice Weir highlighted serious errors by both the police and forensic services.

The judge also accused two officers of having made "a deliberate and calculated attempt" to mislead the court by "beefing up" their evidence.

The officers were involved in collecting items at the scene of a dissident republican bomb discovered in Altmore Forest in Co Tyrone in 2001, with which Mr Hoey was also accused of being involved.