Son of woman murdered in 1987 to sue PSNI over probe
THE son of a woman murdered in north Belfast more than 30 years ago is preparing to sue police over an alleged failure to properly investigate the killing.
Lorraine McCausland (23) was found beaten to death beside a stream in the Forthriver area in March 1987.
The mother-of-two had been last seen socialising in a nearby loyalist club at Tynedale. Members of the UDA, who controlled the drinking den, are suspected of involvement in the attack.
With no one convicted of the murder, concerns have been raised that the killer was a police informer working inside the UDA who may have been protected by the state. Lawyers for the victim’s son, Stuart McCausland, now intend to take legal action against the PSNI. The planned proceedings centre on allegations police knew those linked to the murder and failed to carry out an adequate investigation.
Mr McCausland had to go to the High Court after the Legal Services Agency declined to fund the lawsuit. But following a successful challenge to that decision, the agency is set to reconsider his application for legal aid.
Depending on the outcome of that fresh assessment, his lawyers confirmed their intention to commence legal action.
Eoin Murphy of O’Muirigh Solicitors expressed regret that the court intervention over funding was necessary. He said: “There exist clear failings in the original RUC investigation into this case.
“These failings were presented to the Legal Services Agency to evidence the strength of proposed civil proceedings against the Chief Constable of the PSNI, as successor of the RUC.
“It was hoped that on foot of this application the agency would have awarded funding to Mr McCausland to pursue his case through the High Court.”