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Family insist convict's innocence | Family insist convict's innocence |
(about 16 hours later) | |
Relatives of an ex-policeman convicted of murdering his wife and two children in 1994 have protested his innocence in a meeting with the police ombudsman. | |
John Torney died in jail in 2005 while trying to overturn his conviction for killing them at their Cookstown home. | John Torney died in jail in 2005 while trying to overturn his conviction for killing them at their Cookstown home. |
A cross-party delegation accompanied the relatives at the meeting. | |
Family spokesperson Hilary Torney claimed there was "plenty of evidence" that his son, John Junior, 13, carried out the murders before killing himself. | Family spokesperson Hilary Torney claimed there was "plenty of evidence" that his son, John Junior, 13, carried out the murders before killing himself. |
"We are pleased that (police ombudsman) Nuala O'Loan has already agreed to look again at this case because we believe that the police investigation was fundamentally flawed, leading to an innocent man being imprisoned," she said. | "We are pleased that (police ombudsman) Nuala O'Loan has already agreed to look again at this case because we believe that the police investigation was fundamentally flawed, leading to an innocent man being imprisoned," she said. |
A terrible injustice has been done in this case and we will not rest until it is put right and John Torney Senior's name is cleared. Hilary Torney She said the daughter, Emma, had claimed to a friend she had been sexually abused by her brother and was going to tell her mother what had been happening. | A terrible injustice has been done in this case and we will not rest until it is put right and John Torney Senior's name is cleared. Hilary Torney She said the daughter, Emma, had claimed to a friend she had been sexually abused by her brother and was going to tell her mother what had been happening. |
"It seems that John Junior shot her, then his mother, to cover up what he had been doing - he then shot himself," she said. | "It seems that John Junior shot her, then his mother, to cover up what he had been doing - he then shot himself," she said. |
Ms Torney said there were "disturbing issues and questions about the police investigation into the murders", which they raised with Mrs O'Loan. | |
She said Emma's school principal had made "worrying" claims that police had told him evidence that she had been abused had been found, "but that it would not come out in court". | She said Emma's school principal had made "worrying" claims that police had told him evidence that she had been abused had been found, "but that it would not come out in court". |
"John Torney's defence never got this crucial evidence." | "John Torney's defence never got this crucial evidence." |
She added: "A terrible injustice has been done in this case and we will not rest until it is put right and John Torney Senior's name is cleared." | She added: "A terrible injustice has been done in this case and we will not rest until it is put right and John Torney Senior's name is cleared." |
The family were accompanied at the meeting by representatives of the SDLP, UUP and DUP, as well as Jane Winter of British-Irish Rights Watch. | |
Torney was convicted of killing his wife, Linda, 33, son John, 13, and daughter Emma, 10. | Torney was convicted of killing his wife, Linda, 33, son John, 13, and daughter Emma, 10. |
Natural causes | Natural causes |
It is understood Torney, 50, died in prison from natural causes. The prison service said there was nothing suspicious about the death. | It is understood Torney, 50, died in prison from natural causes. The prison service said there was nothing suspicious about the death. |
A BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight investigation in October 2000 raised a number of questions about the case. | A BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight investigation in October 2000 raised a number of questions about the case. |
Last October, the body which investigates miscarriages of justice, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, began a fresh inquiry into the case. | Last October, the body which investigates miscarriages of justice, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, began a fresh inquiry into the case. |
Torney's legal team had always argued that he was wrongly convicted. | Torney's legal team had always argued that he was wrongly convicted. |
The argument, that John Junior shot his sister and mother and then turned the gun on himself, failed at his original trial and a subsequent appeal. | The argument, that John Junior shot his sister and mother and then turned the gun on himself, failed at his original trial and a subsequent appeal. |
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