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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Apology call for Omagh officers | Apology call for Omagh officers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland Policing Board member Ian Paisley Jnr has called for a public apology for two officers accused of lying during the Omagh bomb trial. | Northern Ireland Policing Board member Ian Paisley Jnr has called for a public apology for two officers accused of lying during the Omagh bomb trial. |
| At the end of the 2007 hearing, trial judge Mr Justice Weir said Fiona Cooper and Philip Marshall engaged in deliberate and calculated deception. | At the end of the 2007 hearing, trial judge Mr Justice Weir said Fiona Cooper and Philip Marshall engaged in deliberate and calculated deception. |
| In a report, released on Friday, the Police Ombudsman said he found no evidence of deliberate deception. | In a report, released on Friday, the Police Ombudsman said he found no evidence of deliberate deception. |
| A police spokesperson said they welcomed the ombudsman's findings. | A police spokesperson said they welcomed the ombudsman's findings. |
| In a statement they said they "will consider any recommendations and learning that has been identified". | In a statement they said they "will consider any recommendations and learning that has been identified". |
| Mr Hutchinson said that the evidence had been confused. | Mr Hutchinson said that the evidence had been confused. |
| "The judge interpreted the evidence, I'm saying that he interpreted it wrongly, we have evidence that he interpreted it wrongly," he said. | "The judge interpreted the evidence, I'm saying that he interpreted it wrongly, we have evidence that he interpreted it wrongly," he said. |
| "But it's also understandable the trial judge came to the conclusion that he simply did not know whether he could believe the officers or not." | "But it's also understandable the trial judge came to the conclusion that he simply did not know whether he could believe the officers or not." |
| No grounds | No grounds |
| The Public Prosecution Service has also decided there were no grounds for charging the officers with perjury. | The Public Prosecution Service has also decided there were no grounds for charging the officers with perjury. |
| DUP assembly member Ian Paisley Jnr said the officers had been the victims of a "grave injustice" and they were owed an apology. | DUP assembly member Ian Paisley Jnr said the officers had been the victims of a "grave injustice" and they were owed an apology. |
| Policing Board member Ian Paisley Jnr has called for a public apology | Policing Board member Ian Paisley Jnr has called for a public apology |
| "These two officers who were vilified by the courts deserve a full public apology for the things that have been said about them, both by politicians and secondly, by a trial judge," he said. | "These two officers who were vilified by the courts deserve a full public apology for the things that have been said about them, both by politicians and secondly, by a trial judge," he said. |
| As revealed by the BBC on Thursday, Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson said that while the evidence given to the court by the two officers was confused, it was accurate. | As revealed by the BBC on Thursday, Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson said that while the evidence given to the court by the two officers was confused, it was accurate. |
| The officers had initially told the court they had worn protective clothing when collecting material from the scene of an unexploded mortar in Altmore Forest, County Tyrone, but the judge later questioned this when he was presented with a photograph showing them on the site in plain clothes. | The officers had initially told the court they had worn protective clothing when collecting material from the scene of an unexploded mortar in Altmore Forest, County Tyrone, but the judge later questioned this when he was presented with a photograph showing them on the site in plain clothes. |
| An 18-month investigation by Mr Hutchinson's team found that the photo had actually been taken after the forensic tests were completed. | An 18-month investigation by Mr Hutchinson's team found that the photo had actually been taken after the forensic tests were completed. |
| "A military specialist at the scene told us one of his last actions was to close the tailgate of the van from which they had gathered the evidence," explained the ombudsman. | "A military specialist at the scene told us one of his last actions was to close the tailgate of the van from which they had gathered the evidence," explained the ombudsman. |
| "In the photograph, where the witnesses are not wearing the proper forensic clothing, the van's rear tailgate had been closed and it had been moved from its position in earlier photographs. | "In the photograph, where the witnesses are not wearing the proper forensic clothing, the van's rear tailgate had been closed and it had been moved from its position in earlier photographs. |
| "In another photograph, the bagged exhibits can be seen through the window of the closed tailgate. | "In another photograph, the bagged exhibits can be seen through the window of the closed tailgate. |
| "The military specialist also confirmed that no-one else entered the scene while he secured and packaged the exhibits. | "The military specialist also confirmed that no-one else entered the scene while he secured and packaged the exhibits. |
| "The information the officers gave to the court about the forensic precautions taken at the scene of the mortar bomb was accurate, although confused." | "The information the officers gave to the court about the forensic precautions taken at the scene of the mortar bomb was accurate, although confused." |
| Issues | Issues |
| Mr Hutchinson also rejected defence claims that the officers had "beefed up" parts of their testimony. | Mr Hutchinson also rejected defence claims that the officers had "beefed up" parts of their testimony. |
| The ombudsman found that, while there was confusion over how and when the officers made their witness statements, the actual content was correct. | The ombudsman found that, while there was confusion over how and when the officers made their witness statements, the actual content was correct. |
| READ THE STATEMENT Statement of the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland[652KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | READ THE STATEMENT Statement of the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland[652KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| "If, by the term 'beefing up', it is meant to suggest that police officers added untrue information to their statements, then we have found no evidence that police statements were 'beefed up' by the two officers in question or by any others," he said. | "If, by the term 'beefing up', it is meant to suggest that police officers added untrue information to their statements, then we have found no evidence that police statements were 'beefed up' by the two officers in question or by any others," he said. |
| "We did find, however, that factually correct information was added to statements. I must also conclude that the two police officers were confused in the evidence they gave to the court." | "We did find, however, that factually correct information was added to statements. I must also conclude that the two police officers were confused in the evidence they gave to the court." |
| Mr Hutchinson said he forwarded a file on his investigation to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) last year. | Mr Hutchinson said he forwarded a file on his investigation to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) last year. |
| The PPS has formally confirmed that neither officer is to be prosecuted and has said a third officer will not be prosecuted in respect of non-disclosure issues. | The PPS has formally confirmed that neither officer is to be prosecuted and has said a third officer will not be prosecuted in respect of non-disclosure issues. |
| The ombudsman said he had identified a number of issues and failings that require further consideration, relating to case preparation, documentation and disclosure. | The ombudsman said he had identified a number of issues and failings that require further consideration, relating to case preparation, documentation and disclosure. |
| They will be the subject of a further report and recommendations to Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, he said. | They will be the subject of a further report and recommendations to Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, he said. |
| Responding to the ombudsman's findings, the Lord Chief Justice's Office said Mr Justice Weir had "made his comments in the judgment on the basis of the evidence put before the court". | |
| "The ombudsman has stated that it was understandable the judge came to the conclusion that he simply did not know whether he could believe the officers or not," a spokeswoman said. |