Lost Records Deemed ‘Frustrating’ in La Mon Bombing Inquiry

A report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) has concluded that “earnest endeavour” was made to bring those responsible for the IRA’s La Mon bombing, which resulted in 12 fatalities, to justice. However, the report could not account for the disappearance of records from the initial police inquiry. This Police Ombudsman’s report presents the conclusions of its examination into the IRA assault that occurred on February 17, 1978. Paul Holmes, a PONI investigator, characterized the circumstances as “frustrating”. He stated: “My ability to provide a definitive view on the effectiveness of the investigation, including whether all lines of enquiry were pursued, has been hindered by the unavailability of certain documentation.” During the incident, a device positioned outside a window, comprising a bomb connected to petrol cans blended with sugar, propelled a massive fireball into the hotel, where 400 individuals were present for a dance event. The victims, all Protestants, comprised three married pairs. Over 30 individuals sustained injuries. They had been participating in an Irish Collie Club gathering. Mr. Holmes noted that the absence of documents constitutes “a recurring, systemic issue in legacy cases and is not unique to this investigation”. The absence of these records has led to allegations that law enforcement shielded certain suspects due to their status as informants. Nevertheless, PONI discovered no proof to support this claim. Mr. Holmes stated: “The substantial police investigation files, associated documentation and intelligence records reviewed by this office, together with explanatory accounts from a number of former police officers and other enquiries, lead me to conclude that there was earnest endeavour by the RUC to bring those responsible for the bombing of La Mon to justice.” He added: “I am of the view, based on all available evidence and information, that collusive behaviours were not a feature of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) investigation.” Mr. Holmes concluded: “The evidence and intelligence viewed by the Police Ombudsman’s investigation attributes responsibility for directing, enabling and perpetrating the bombing of La Mon House to the Provisional IRA.” PONI determined that the RUC’s inquiry was “compromised” by the 1980 acquittal of an individual accused of the bombing. The presiding judge concluded that the individual might have been subjected to torture while in custody, leading to the dismissal of the case due to the absence of additional evidence. Mr. Holmes stated that there had been “a violation of the rule of law by the police officers involved”. This ombudsman’s report stems from an assessment of a complaint lodged concerning the initial inquiry conducted by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) submitted the complaint, which incorporated testimonies from several grieving families and survivors. UHRW highlighted that a case review conducted in 2012 by the Historical Enquiries Team indicated that police interview records were unaccounted for. The organization has raised questions regarding whether IRA members received protection due to their involvement as state agents, either at the time of the incident or subsequently. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of the Justice Branch within the Police Service of Northern Ireland acknowledged that the force recognizes “the historic issues identified in the report concerning records management in this investigation”. He added: “However, this was at a time that predated the introduction of the computerised Home Office Large Major Enquiry System system.” ACC Henderson stated: “While the Police Ombudsman’s report has identified some investigative failings it also highlights that the investigation was well resourced, comprehensive and effective.” He observed that the report “found that police held no intelligence prior to the attack that could have prevented it and also found that there was no evidence that any persons were protected from prosecution”. Andrea Nelson was 14 years old when her parents, Paul and Dorothy, were killed at La Mon. She described the atrocity as unnecessary and stated that she and her sister Melanie have spent the past 46 years “with a big hole in our hearts”. Prior to the report’s release, she commented: “I want to feel I have done everything I could to reach justice for my mummy and daddy and bring closure, if that’s possible.” During a press conference held after the report’s publication, Ms. Nelson asserted that victims and their relatives had endured an excessive wait for justice. She declared: “The loss of notes, records or exhibits, means that there continues to be missing pieces of the jigsaw.” She continued: “There was a failure to demonstrate adequately during the interrogation of a person that the confession that they made to their role in the bombing was safe and hence the opportunity to have justice was lost to us.” Jim Mills, who lost his wife and sister in the bombing, indicated that he “was not expecting anything” from the report. Mr. Mills expressed his belief that he and his family would not receive the immediate answers they sought. He further commented: “It takes years and years and years of running to these places, it is not as if it will be next Christmas or next Easter.” He sustained severe injuries in the assault and recounted its repercussions for himself and his family. He stated: “I was left with a wee daughter at two and a half years old, my sister’s wee lad was three, another one was four and a half.” He added: “I was in hospital for three to four months and when I got out I had to watch the heartbreak of my mum.” A total of twelve individuals perished in the attack: Over 30 people suffered injuries. Among the journalists present at the site was Mervyn Jess, a former BBC News NI reporter, who was then in his second year as a junior reporter for a local newspaper. He remarked: “At that stage, I had no prior experience of, let’s just say, the Troubles at that level.” Upon his arrival, the fire’s flames were already being extinguished. He observed a substantial plume of smoke hovering above the structure. He recounted: “It was pitch black, all the electricity was out except for the arc lights of the fire brigade that were there lighting up the scene for their men to work.” He managed to enter the area and explained that, by that point, the casualties had been transported to the hospital. Mr. Jess noted that there was “no panic, no shouting or screaming” at that moment. He described it as: “It was a little bit surreal in that respect, considering the magnitude of what had happened, that the whole place was eerily quiet.” He further stated: “All I saw in front of me were the blackened brick walls that were still standing of the complex because the entire roof, which was a flat roof, and all the wooden structures around had collapsed on the ground level.” Mr. Jess recalled that a fire officer present at the scene instructed him to cease advancing. He recounted: “He walked over to me and said: ‘Don’t take another step forward.’ He said if you do you’re going to stand on a body.” He concluded: “All I could see was blackened, charred debris.” Robert Murphy, a resident of West Belfast, received a life sentence for manslaughter in 1981 and was subsequently released in 1995. However, UHRW asserted that other individuals implicated, including those who orchestrated the attack, evaded justice. The day following the attack, the IRA issued a statement acknowledging that its nine-minute warning had been insufficient. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.