Review launched over PSNI's disclosure methods

The Criminal Justice Inspectorate (CJI) is to review the PSNI's disclosure methods following the Police Ombudsman historic cases controversy.

Chief inspector of criminal justice Brendan McGuigan pledged to prioritise the work and will begin drawing up terms of reference immediately.

A report is due in six months.

CJI is an independent statutory inspectorate with responsibility for inspecting all aspects of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland, apart from the judiciary.

Last week, it emerged that the PSNI failed to disclose "significant information'' relating to a notorious loyalist mass shooting.

Ombudsman Michael Maguire said "significant, sensitive information'' around the incident at a bookmakers in south Belfast was not made available to his investigators.

Five people were killed on February 5, 1992 when members of the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) opened fire on the Sean Graham bookmakers shop on the lower Ormeau Road.

Dr Maguire's office said the non-disclosed material, which it has now obtained, has opened new lines of inquiry in its investigation into the Ormeau Road shootings, as well as activities of loyalist paramilitaries in the north west between 1988 and 1994, and its probe into the murder of teenager Damien Walsh at a coal depot in west Belfast in 1993.

Last week, PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin apologised on behalf of the police and said they never sought to withhold the information from the ombudsman investigators, putting the incident down to human error.