Gerard Lawlor Family ‘Disappointed’ by Ombudsman Report

Rebecca Black (PA)

The family of a Catholic teenager killed by loyalist paramilitaries in 2002 have expressed disappointment in the findings of a Police Ombudsman report.

Gerard Lawlor’s father said he feels let down that more than 20 years on he is still having to pursue accountability for his son’s murder.

A report by Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson on Wednesday found significant failings in the Police Service of Northern Ireland investigation in 2002.

But she said she found no evidence of collusive behaviours and no evidence that the murder could have been prevented.

Mr Lawlor’s family maintain their belief that there was collusive behaviour in the police investigation which has not helped secured prosecutions.

No-one has ever been charged with or prosecuted for the murder of Mr Lawlor.

John Lawlor said he was disappointed by the report.

“I think the years have toned down the anger a bit,” he said.

“I still believe in a just and open society, police have to be held to account.

“I think they had a golden opportunity this morning to address that and they didn’t do it.

“The core problem is still there, nobody is being held accountable.

“If you or I had done anything, we’d be crucified but there seems to be a part of this society that can walk about with impunity, and that’s the bit that is hard to swallow at times.

“We’re being let down, this should have been locked up years ago.”

Niall Murphy, solicitor for the Lawlor family, said the Ombudsman’s report is a “detailed analysis of a pathetic police investigation”.

“The report correctly confirms a multitude of egregious failings,” he said.

“Where we differ from the Ombudsman’s conclusive analysis, we consider the facts sustain ours, whereas her analysis is that collusive behaviours were not an impediment to the investigation.

“The family considered that the facts found, the failings found, the failure to arrest suspects, the failure to erect a vehicle checkpoint at the Whitewell Road/Antrim Road junction, that those facts actually sustain their sincerely held belief that collusive behaviour was an impediment to successful prosecutions in respect of those who murdered Gerard.”

An inquest into Mr Lawlor’s death was delayed while the Ombudsman’s investigation was ongoing.

Mr Murphy said he expects a preliminary hearing in the inquest will be held in the coming weeks or months.

Gerard Lawlor was murdered in north Belfast in 2002