Four-year wait for Police Ombudsman investigation

A Police Ombudsman investigation into the murder of a man nearly 50 years ago in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, will not commence until 2027 at the earliest due to a backlog of cases.

Former civil rights activist Jim Murphy was shot dead at a garage he owned in rural Corraveigha on April 20, 1974.

Mr Murphy was among those who joined the Civil Rights Campaign in 1969, and became one of the founder members of the Civil Resistance movement in Fermanagh.

A memorial stone in Derrylin describes the 42-year-old as a ‘volunteer, internee, civil rights campaigner, Sinn Féin activist’.

His murder was later claimed by the UFF in a letter sent to the Fermanagh Herald newspaper.

Last year the dead man’s family lodged a formal complaint with the Office of the Police Ombudsman, alleging failures of historic police investigations, including those by Royal Ulster Constabulary and Historical Enquiries Team.

Mr Murphy’s surviving family have now been told the Ombudsman probe will not commence until April 2027 at the earliest, due to a lack of resources, and a backlog of 238 legacy cases already in the pipeline.

The Police Ombudsman said in a statement they have “received a complaint” about the death of Mr Murphy.

They add that the case has been considered under the Office's prioritisation policy, and is “currently pended, awaiting investigation” when resources allow.

“Given the large number of historical complaints, which have been made to the Office, and our limited investigative resources for such cases, we do not anticipate that we will be able to commence this investigation before April 2027.”

The spokesperson adds however that the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill 2022-2023, “as currently drafted”, would provide amnesty to people who committed crimes during the Troubles if they co-operate with a new truth recovery committee.

If enacted, they state, it “will cause all Police Ombudsman historical investigations to cease”.