Hamill murder inquiry adjourned

Sir Edwin said the inquiry would look at a number of issues

A public inquiry into the murder of County Armagh man Robert Hamill has opened at Craigavon courthouse.

Mr Hamill, a 25-year-old Catholic, died in hospital after being attacked by a loyalist mob in Portadown in 1997. No one has been convicted over his death.

Armed RUC officers were stationed in a Land Rover near to the scene but allegedly failed to intervene.

The inquiry has now adjourned and will not sit in public again until November at the earliest.

The inquiry is one of four in NI recommended by ex-judge Peter Cory, who was tasked to probe alleged collusion.

The others were into the deaths of Rosemary Nelson, Billy Wright and Pat Finucane.

We are very conscious of the many emotions to which the death of Robert Hamill has given rise and we repeat that our overriding concern in this inquiry will be to do all we can to ascertain where the truth lies Sir Edwin Jowit

Up to 100 witnesses are set to testify at the public inquiry into Mr Hamill's death, which is being chaired by former High Court judge, Sir Edwin Jowitt.

Evidence will be studied to assess whether any failure or omission on the part of officers to halt the attack, identify the killers or properly investigate the murder was deliberate or negligent, the retired High Court judge said.

Sir Edwin said the inquiry would look at a number of issues.

Among them, it will consider whether or not the RUC "could or should have done more" to avert Mr Hamill's death on the night he was murdered.

'List of recommendations'

It will also examine whether RUC officers at the scene could have done more to identify, or facilitate the prosecution of those who carried out the attack.

The RUC's follow-up investigation will also be scrutinised, with the inquiry seeking to establish whether or not the police could have done more to investigate the murder.

The inquiry will also look at whether there was any attempted obstruction of the investigation itself.

Robert Hamill was attacked by a loyalist mob in 1997

Finally, it will issue a list of recommendations it believes should be made in light of its findings.

"We are very conscious of the many emotions to which the death of Robert Hamill has given rise and we repeat that our overriding concern in this inquiry will be to do all we can to ascertain where the truth lies," Sir Edwin said.

Solicitor Barra McGrory, who is representing the Hamill family, said he hoped the inquiry would get to the truth.

"It is hoped and anticipated that the tribunal will hear a lot of detail about the circumstances of this murder, which has not been heard in the general public, by the general public, before," he said.