Father wins review of failure to prosecute ex-officers over collusion with UVF killers

PROSECUTORS are to review a decision not to bring charges against former police officers implicated in a loyalist paramilitary killing.

The development was confirmed during a High Court challenge mounted by the murder victim’s father, Belfast man Raymond McCord. His son Raymond McCord Jnr (22) was beaten to death before his body was dumped in a quarry in 1997.

The killing was at the centre of an explosive report by former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan which found collusion between a north Belfast UVF gang and their Special Branch handlers.

Earlier this year Gary Hag-

Supergrass: Murderer Haggarty

garty (45), a former commander of the terror unit-turned supergrass, was jailed after confessing to hundreds of offences. His crimes included five murders, but not that of Mr McCord Jnr.

Haggarty pleaded guilty as part of a state deal that saw his sentence cut from 35 years to six-and-a-half years in return for providing police with evidence on other terror suspects.

Former Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory said last year Haggarty’s claims alone were insufficient to prove allegations against other suspects.

Mr McCord then issued proceedings against the Public Prosecution Service for failing to review the decision not to bring charges against ex-police officers over the alleged failure to prevent his son’s killing.

In court yesterday, however, counsel for the PPS confirmed that a review of the decision not to prosecute the former police officers will now be carried out.