Inquest Offers ‘Hope’ to Family of Murdered Backpacker

A senior coroner has affirmed that his court is committed to fully supporting an inquiry into the demise of a young German backpacker, which occurred 36 years prior. This declaration was made by Joe McCrisken during a preliminary hearing for the inquest concerning the murder of Inga Maria Hauser. The remains of the 18-year-old were discovered in Ballypatrick Forest, Ballycastle, in 1988. To date, no individual has been prosecuted in connection with her killing. Ms Hauser’s family, originally from Munich, has persistently sought clarity regarding the circumstances of her death for many years. On Monday, Friederike, Ms Hauser’s sister, observed the commencement of the preliminary proceedings via video link from the coroner’s court located at Laganside. Malachy McGowan, her legal representative, conveyed to the coroner: “My client is very grateful for the decision to hold this hearing today.“The family have been waiting for decades and they place their trust and considerable hope in this process.” Mr McCrisken set a date for an additional review hearing on 22 January. He acknowledged that the family had endured “a long time” of waiting, stating: “We’ll do everything we can to facilitate an investigation into this lady’s death.” He further indicated that a “considerable amount of material” would be made public during the inquest “by the PSNI, the PPS and perhaps other agencies”. Claire McKeegan, counsel for the Hauser family, stated that the inquest would constitute “the first full examination of the facts in the tragedy” of the murder. Ms McKeegan conveyed that Ms Hauser’s relatives, including Friederike and her nephew Viktor, were “seeking justice and truth”. She informed BBC News NI: “Since Inga’s brutal murder in 1988, her family back in Germany have been desperate for the truth as to what happened to her that night, who inflicted this cruelty on her and why those responsible have not been brought to justice,” adding, “Sadly her parents are not alive to see this day. The pain that they endured in the aftermath of Inga’s death was indescribable and all-consuming.” She concluded, “This inquest will be the first full public examination of the facts in the tragedy of her murder.” Ms Hauser’s mother passed away in 2019 and her father in 2006, both without ever learning the fate of their daughter. John Dallat, the deceased SDLP politician, dedicated years to advocating for continued attention on the case. Ms McKeegan stated that the Hauser family expressed gratitude for the public’s support throughout the years, and especially to Mr Dallat “for keeping Inga’s case in the public eye as the years went on and the case went cold”.