Criticism over 1994 murders probe

Six men were shot dead in the Heights Bar, Loughinisland

The families of the six men shot dead in Loughinisland 12 years ago, have criticised the original police investigation into the atrocity.

The men were gunned down as they watched a World Cup football match in the County Down village in 1994.

The UVF was blamed for the attack at the Heights Bar in the village.

On Thursday, the families said they felt let down and fobbed off by the police, and they had heard nothing from them for the first 10 years.

The families have not spoken publicly before.

They said they were prompted to do so by recent revelations linking at least one alleged security force agent to the gang which murdered their loved ones.

The relatives said they were particularly concerned that the getaway car used by the killers was destroyed by police two years after the shooting - and not retained for evidential reasons.

Claire Rogan's husband, Adrian, was one of those murdered.

"They assured us there would be a rigorous investigation but, as time has gone on, it has become more appropriate that that wasn't the case," Ms Rogan said.

Claire Rogan's husband Adrian was one of those murdered.

"The car being destroyed, the lack of information to us, we basically feel we've been fobbed off."

The police said that at the time all reasonable examinations of the car had been undertaken and forensic examples collected before the vehicle was disposed of.

Last week, a man and a woman arrested in connection with the murder of six men in County Down 12 years ago were released without charge.

One of the victims, Barney Green, 87, was one of the oldest people to be murdered during the Troubles.

The others who died were Adrian Rogan, 34; Daniel McCreanor, 59; Eamon Byrne, 39; his brother-in-law Patrick O'Hare, 35, and 53-year-old Malcolm Jenkinson.

Five people were also injured in the attack by gunmen armed with an AK47 and a Czech-made rifle.