Murder victim's brother welcomes apology personally delivered by police chief
The 25-year-old died after being shot while in a taxi in the area of Springfield Park on his way home.
Earlier that evening, UDA terrorists are believed to have cut a hole in a peace line fence to access the area which was reported to police.
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher delivered an apology to Mr Thompson in hospital in Belfast on Tuesday which acknowledges failures by police.
It describes Paul Thompson's murder as 'tragic and senseless', and pays tribute to his brother and mother Margaret, who has since died, for 'great courage and resilience in their journey for the truth about his murder'.
Paul Thompson was murdered aged 25 in 1994 (Committee on the Administration of Justice/PA)
The apology says the murder has not been the subject of a full and effective investigation in accordance with article two of the European Convention on Human Rights, and accepts a conclusion by the former Historical Enquiries Team that police could have taken steps to provide patrolling in the area after suspicious activity was reported.
'That dedicated action may have prevented Paul's murder,' the apology states.
It also acknowledges the original police investigation did not identify or pursue all lines of inquiry and significant disclosure delays at the inquest.
'The police service apologises unreservedly to Eugene for the above failings on the part of policing which impacted adversely both on the delivery of justice for Paul and on his family's quest for the truth,' it said.
'We are committed to improving how we help families and communities impacted by the troubles by being more open, transparent and victim-focused, and by disclosing as much information as we possibly can.
'The police service believes that further information about Paul's murder can safely be released to Eugene and hopes that the pending Supreme Court judgment will allow for this to happen.'
The UK government took a legal effort to the Supreme Court to prevent coroner Louisa Fee from disclosing a summary, or gist, of the evidence in a sensitive security force file following an inquest into Mr Thompson's death. A ruling has not yet been made.
Mr Thompson welcomed the apology from Mr Boutcher, and said he hopes to see the judgment from the Supreme Court soon.
Eugene Thompson received an apology over the handling of the murder of his brother from PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher (PA)
'I thanked Jon Boutcher for coming himself and for acting quickly in delivering the apology from the PSNI after we had asked for it,' he said.
'That's different to the British Supreme Court, who also know my situation, and I had hoped they would have made their judgment by now, but there is no sign of it.
'The apology makes clear the RUC didn't investigate and arrest suspects when they could have and that they could have done things that could have prevented Paul's murder.'
Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), said Mr Thompson and his mother 'long fought for justice and truth in relation to Paul's murder'.
He added: 'The High Court and Court of Appeal ruled over a year ago that Eugene was entitled to see the information in the coroner's 'gist'.
'The Secretary of State appealed the Supreme Court hearing was back at the beginning of June and Eugene is still awaiting the ruling.
'It's welcome that the PSNI chief constable has quickly delivered this apology in relation to the RUC and PSNI failings.'
A PSNI spokesperson said: 'The Chief Constable, Jon Boutcher, held a private meeting with Mr Eugene Thompson, the brother of Liam Paul Thompson, during which he provided a statement of apology on behalf of the Police Service of Northern Ireland for failings identified on the part of the RUC and PSNI.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Grieving parents of Bailey Chadwick make heartbreaking appeal for driver to go to cops after son killed in ‘hit & run'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE family of Bailey Chadwick, who was killed in a suspected hit-and-run, have made a heartbreaking appeal to the driver to hand themself in. The 19-year-old was walking home in Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire, when he was fatally injured on the B6265 in the early hours of Sunday. 8 Bailey Chadwick was tragically killed in a suspected hit-and-run on his walk home from seeing friends 8 His devastated mum and stepdad have urged the driver to come forward and turn themself in Credit: PA 8 Tributes at the scene where Bailey was killed Credit: PA Bailey had earlier been working at the Royal Oak pub before spending time with friends. He had been due to go travelling to Thailand this week and the police officer in charge of the investigation said the teenager had "a lifetime of adventures ahead of him". The young lad's parents have since made a desperate appeal to the driver to come forward and turn themself in as it's the "least they can do". Speaking close to the scene of the collision, Dayle Knights, Bailey's mum, said through tears "no words can express how absolutely devastated we are." "Bailey was just a normal, happy, outgoing 19-year-old, who had his whole life ahead of him," she added. The teenager's heartbroken stepdad, Daniel Horler, made an emotional plea to the driver to "do the right thing" and speak to the police. He said: "He should be living his best life seeing a new country, exploring new people, but instead he was left alone to die. "Bailey was torn away from us at such a young age. The fact that someone knows he was driving that night is heartbreaking for all of us. "Please, if it's you, do the right thing and speak to the police. "Please, if you have any information which will help trace the person responsible, please help. Shocking moment gang of robbers crash stolen Jaguar into cop car in horror head-on smash "If you've any empathy within you whatsoever, it's the least you could do." North Yorkshire Police are currently working to establish the vehicle involved and who was driving. Detective Inspector Jill Cowling, of North Yorkshire Police, said the driver may not be aware there was a collision but urged anyone with information to come forward. She said: "Now is the time to come forward. "The grief endured by Bailey's family is further compounded by the fact that the driver has not yet come forward. "I am now appealing directly to the driver of the vehicle to do the right thing for Bailey and his family and contact us immediately. "Bailey had everything to look forward to in his life. "He was a well-loved, popular young man with a lifetime of adventures ahead of him. "Now this is all gone." She added: "My thoughts at this time are with Bailey's family and friends as they face the overwhelming grief caused by the loss of their beloved Bailey. 8 North Yorkshire Police Detective Inspector Jill Cowling Credit: PA 8 Tributes have poured in for the 19-year-old who was due to go travelling this week Credit: PA 8 He had just finished a shift at the local pub Credit: Alamy "Over the coming days and weeks, we will continue to ensure that they are supported by our specialist family liaison officers. "I am also aware of how much this terrible incident has understandably shocked residents in the close local communities around Pateley Bridge and the surrounding villages at this distressing time - the many messages of love and kind words about Bailey are hugely appreciated and welcomed by his family." The Royal Oak pub where Bailey worked also paid tribute to the most "loveable" and "caring" lad. In a post online staff said: "The most loveable, caring, trustworthy, happy, smiley, beautiful young man we have ever had the honour of working with. A true gentlemen and friend." Flowers and tributes have been left close to where he was struck, including a Sheffield Wednesday flag and scarf - the football team he followed. One card said: "Light up the sky, you gorgeous, gorgeous boy. Love you always." Another said: "A lovely funny lad. So sad." The detective said detailed investigations are under way, including using CCTV footage, and there are a number of lines of inquiry. She said: "As the driver, this is your opportunity to come to us before we come to you. "If you know who was driving the vehicle which fatally injured Bailey, then please do the right thing and contact us now. "I am extremely grateful to everyone who has already come forward with information. "I urge anyone who can help with the investigation into this tragic incident to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101. You can also contact CrimeStoppers anonymously." 8 The youngster was killed in Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire Credit: Alamy
Times
4 hours ago
- Times
Interview with porn actress Bonnie Blue goes with a bang
I recently interviewed Bonnie Blue, aka Tia Billinger of Derbyshire, the OnlyFans 'content creator' who claims to have had sex with 1,057 men in 12 hours. (My piece will be in Saturday's Times Magazine.) It was a bleakly fascinating couple of hours in the murkiest end of porn culture, with one lighter moment. The room we'd been allocated was a glass box in the midst of the Sunday Times newsroom and at about 5.30pm a leaving ceremony must have taken place. I knew this because suddenly all the journalists in the outer office began rhythmically thumping their desks. This is an ancient — and sometimes rather moving — tradition going back to Fleet Street's hot metal days when a departing colleague, or an apprentice who'd finished his training, was led out of the building while everyone bashed their metal rulers on tables to make a celebratory din. And this is how I found myself explaining to a rather puzzled Bonnie Blue that we call this 'banging out'. It is now three months since the Supreme Court ruling brought clarity to the meaning of sex under the Equality Act. Many organisations, especially sporting bodies, seem relieved they are now legally compelled to do what they'd wanted all along, ie override a tiny activist minority to protect female spaces, categories and employees. But for some gender soldiers the war will never be over. On the BBC website is a court report about a 'woman' called Joanna Rowland-Stuart, a 'wife' who is charged with picking up her own samurai sword then stabbing and slicing her husband Andrew to death. Only many paragraphs down are we told this person is transgender and there are no women in this story. A man has been charged with killing another man. It is male-on-male violence. Yet in the BBC's fantasy world a woman buys a samurai sword and chops up her husband. There have also been some astonishing pronouncements in the Sandie Peggie employment tribunal, concerning a nurse of 30 years' service with an unimpeachable record, suspended by NHS Fife for asking to undress without being watched by a male doctor, Dr Beth Upton. Isla Bumba (salary £50K), NHS Fife's 'equality lead', was asked under oath if she was female. 'No one knows' their own sex, she said, unless they've had their chromosomes tested. When Dr Kate Searle was asked the same question, she replied 'It's on my birth certificate … It's a decision made at birth by the people delivering the baby. I'm not an expert in it.' She is in fact a senior A&E consultant. I wonder what she thinks is observed in utero during a 20-week pregnancy scan. I bump into an acquaintance I've not seen in person for five years but whose photos I often view on Instagram. I've always regarded her as the most beautiful woman I know, yet I can barely follow our conversation for thinking: what did she do to her lovely face? Her cheeks bulge with fillers, her mouth is strangely swollen. I imagine her staring into the mirror despairing at the hollowings and thinnings of age and thinking 'just a little bit here, a tad more there'. 'Aesthetics' doctors are happy to take your money and will rarely say 'stop'. Her face doesn't really look younger, just… odd. The saddest thing is that with her bone structure and skin she'd have been beautiful at any age. A very droll, self-deprecating interview with Bill Nighy on Radio 4's This Cultural Life made me realise I hadn't watched him in much else except Love Actually. So I checked out his other work and found on Apple TV David Hare's 2011-14 plays The Worricker Trilogy with Nighy as a cynical, elegantly tailored renegade spy. You think nothing much has changed in a decade, that we are the same society just with more sophisticated phones. But the trilogy's subject matter, the post-9/11 world order, a PM's dodgy deals and secret rendition seem so small-fry now. Yeah, Johnny Worricker, you ain't seen nothing yet.
ITV News
6 hours ago
- ITV News
Loyalist murder victim's brother welcomes PSNI Chief Constable's personal apology
A terminally ill man has welcomed the personal delivery of an apology by the Chief Constable over police failings following the murder of his brother. Eugene Thompson's brother Paul was murdered in 1994 by loyalist terrorists. The 25-year-old died after being shot while in a taxi in the area of Springfield Park on his way home. Earlier that evening, UDA terrorists are believed to have cut a hole in a peace line fence to access the area which was reported to police. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher delivered an apology to Mr Thompson in hospital in Belfast on Tuesday which acknowledges failures by police. It describes Paul Thompson's murder as 'tragic and senseless', and pays tribute to his brother and mother Margaret, who has since died, for 'great courage and resilience in their journey for the truth about his murder'. The apology says the murder has not been the subject of a full and effective investigation in accordance with article two of the European Convention on Human Rights, and accepts a conclusion by the former Historical Enquiries Team that police could have taken steps to provide patrolling in the area after suspicious activity was reported. 'That dedicated action may have prevented Paul's murder,' the apology states. It also acknowledges the original police investigation did not identify or pursue all lines of inquiry and significant disclosure delays at the inquest. 'The police service apologises unreservedly to Eugene for the above failings on the part of policing which impacted adversely both on the delivery of justice for Paul and on his family's quest for the truth,' it said. 'We are committed to improving how we help families and communities impacted by the troubles by being more open, transparent and victim-focused, and by disclosing as much information as we possibly can. 'The police service believes that further information about Paul's murder can safely be released to Eugene and hopes that the pending Supreme Court judgment will allow for this to happen.' The UK government took a legal effort to the Supreme Court to prevent coroner Louisa Fee from disclosing a summary, or gist, of the evidence in a sensitive security force file following an inquest into Mr Thompson's death. A ruling has not yet been made. Mr Thompson welcomed the apology from Mr Boutcher, and said he hopes to see the judgment from the Supreme Court soon. 'I thanked Jon Boutcher for coming himself and for acting quickly in delivering the apology from the PSNI after we had asked for it,' he said. 'That's different to the British Supreme Court, who also know my situation, and I had hoped they would have made their judgment by now, but there is no sign of it. 'The apology makes clear the RUC didn't investigate and arrest suspects when they could have and that they could have done things that could have prevented Paul's murder.' Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), said Mr Thompson and his mother 'long fought for justice and truth in relation to Paul's murder'. He added: 'The High Court and Court of Appeal ruled over a year ago that Eugene was entitled to see the information in the coroner's 'gist'. 'The Secretary of State appealed the Supreme Court hearing was back at the beginning of June and Eugene is still awaiting the ruling. 'It's welcome that the PSNI chief constable has quickly delivered this apology in relation to the RUC and PSNI failings.' A PSNI spokesperson said: 'The Chief Constable, Jon Boutcher, held a private meeting with Mr Eugene Thompson, the brother of Liam Paul Thompson, during which he provided a statement of apology on behalf of the Police Service of Northern Ireland for failings identified on the part of the RUC and PSNI.'
