Inquest opens into death of man shot by PSNI in 2003
Neil Mcconville died after police opened fire on car he was driving
THE mother of a man who was the first person to be fatally shot by the PSNI has insisted that her son’s death was not “necessary or justifiable”.
Colette Mcconville was speaking at the opening day of an inquest held at Belfast’s Laganside courthouse into the death of her son, Neil Mcconville (21) in April, 2003.
Mr Mcconville — who was from Bleary in Co Armagh — was killed as he attempted to evade police while in a vehicle near Lisburn.
On the evening of the incident, police officers had been tailing the car he was driving on the correct suspicion that a firearm was being transported.
The weapon deployed by the PSNI during the shooting of Mr Mcconville was destroyed at some point after it was returned to the force by the Police Ombudsman’s office.
The watchdog concluded that police were justified in opening fire.
However, speaking yesterday at the inquest, Mrs Mcconville outlined in a statement a list of questions which still need answered.
“The first information I heard to explain what happened to Neil was on the television news the next morning,” she said.
“The news stated that Neil had driven through a vehicle checkpoint.
“I now know there was no vehicle checkpoint and I wish to know why the media was misinformed.”
Mr Mcconville’s mother added that she also wanted clarification as to where Neil’s vehicle was stopped, how it was stopped and “where it was when Neil was fired upon”.
“I am dissatisfied with previous information relayed about this important aspect,” she said.
Appealing to the coroner for as “much information and clarity”, the Co Armagh woman said she was also “dissatisfied” with the PSNI’S lack of engagement with the Police Ombudsman in relation to attempts by the watchdog to obtain intelligence material in relation to the shooting.
In 2008, the then Ombudsman, Nuala, now Baroness, O’loan, had cleared the PSNI officer of the shooting, but expressed “grave concern” over the police operation.
She described it as “poorly managed by senior officers” and said they had employed a “highrisk strategy”.
Mrs O’loan’s report also said that when her investigators were granted access to the material more than six weeks after the shooting, a piece of intelligence which was “critical to the investigation” had been wiped from a police computer.
Police stopped the car because they suspected Mr Mcconville’s passenger, David Somers, was preparing to shoot a man.
An unloaded sawn-off shotgun was found in the car and Somers was subsequently convicted of aiding and abetting possession of the weapon.
Mrs Mcconville insisted the actions on the day of her son’s killing warrant further scrutiny.
“I do not believe the force used by the PSNI was necessary or justifiable,” she claimed.
“They had many opportunities to effect an arrest on Neil. For example when Neil stopped at a garage.”
“I want to know why my son died,” she said.
She said she hoped the inquest would “find out the truth of what happened”, and if it could have been prevented.
Mrs Mcconville revealed that at the time of the incident her son had been unemployed and had been dealing with depression.
The inquest also heard a statement from Mr Mcconville’s father, Paul, who said the PSNI’S killing of his son had been “unlawful”.
He said that he had identified his son’s body at Lagan Valley hopsital, and claimed there had been a delay in him and his family being notified of Neil’s death by the PSNI.
“On the night of April 29, 2003, Neil was shot and killed by members of the PSNI,” he said.
“I wish to complain that the officer or officers who shot my son Neil did so unlawfully and without good reason.”
He also claimed there had been a delay in Neil being brought to hospital following the shooting.
Earlier, the inquest heard there were conflicting reports as to whether the PSNI had been given the necessary information at the scene of the incident in order to notify Mr Mcconville’s loved ones of the fatal shooting.
The inquest continues.