Inquiry into Ombudsman inquests

The inquest opened at Bishop Street courthouse in Derry on Wednesday

Northern Ireland's most senior coroner has ordered an inquiry into how the Police Ombudsman's office deals with inquests they are involved in.

John Leckey made the order during an inquest into the death of Noel Doherty. He died in a road crash in Londonderry in 2006 while being followed by police.

During the inquest, it emerged that an Ombudsman's report into the crash was a draft report and not a final report.

Adjourning the inquest, Mr Lecky said he wanted answers by 1 November.

Mr Doherty, 23, from Drumleck Drive in Shantallow, died after his car hit a tree in Culmore.

A senior investigator at the Ombudsman's office, Paul Holmes, told the inquest that his office only provided coroners with draft reports and that final reports were only presented after all legal proceedings had ended.

Mr Holmes said the draft report before the coroner had not been sent to the chief constable, nor to the secretary of state or Policing Board.

Mr Leckey said he had believed that final reports from the Ombudsman were presented to coroners and said he did not accept that coroners "should be treated less favourably" .

He said this development could have ramifications for many other inquests involving the Ombudsman's office.