Neil McConville inquest findings delivered by Coroner
His Honour Judge Babington, sitting as Coroner, delivered the findings of the inquest into the death of Neil McConville today, at Laganside Court.
Mr McConville (21) was shot dead by a PSNI officer on the 28th April 2002 near Ballinderry, outside Lisburn.
The Coroner made a number of adverse findings in relation to the PSNI operation including the following:
No Firearms Tactical Advisor (FTA) was appointed in RCG South which was contrary to Force Order 64/2002;
There was no documentary evidence to confirm that an FTA was appointed in RCG Urban and no evidence that the appropriate pro forma was ever completed in relation to any advice given;
No command structure was put in place in either RCG South or RCG Urban contrary to Force Order 11/98;
The Coroner concluded that the operation was not planned and controlled in such a way that it minimised to the greatest extent possible the need to recourse to lethal force.
However, the Coroner found that the force used by police officer HH/U129 was no more that was absolutely necessary and justified.
He also identified failings in the Police Ombudsman investigation.
Commenting on todays findings our Padraig Ó Muirigh said:
‘The Coroner has identified a number of significant failings in the policing operation on the day in question, in particular, in relation to the failure to minimise the need to recourse to lethal force.
The McConville family have always maintained that Neil’s death was preventable. He was a young father of two and a much-loved son, brother, father and partner.
Our clients are disappointed at the Coroner’s findings in relation to the use of force by Officer HH/U129.
These are length findings, amounting to over a hundred pages. The McConville family will need time to digest these detailed findings and we will meet with them in the coming days or weeks to discuss the Coroners ruling in more detail.’