MP slams Arlene probe 'failure'
Published Date:
05 August 2008
West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has described as "disturbing in the extreme" the findings of the Police Ombudsman's report into the then RUC's failed attempt to investigate properly the disappearance of 15-year-old Arlene Arkinson in 1994.
The local MP said: "The Arkinson family stands fully vindicated today in their efforts, over many years, to expose the complete failure of the RUC to conduct anything resembling a proper investigation into Arlene's death."
Mr Doherty expressed his anger and disgust at the findings, which showed that suspect Robert Howard's initial statement to the missing person's inquiry included a number of "glaring inconsistencies".
"... Despite the fact that he was on bail for serious sex offences; despite the fact that had been convicted of a number of sex offences and despite the fact that grounds for his arrest on suspicion of abduction/murder were available within 48 hours, it is disturbing in the extreme that he was not arrested until a full 46 days after Arlene was reported missing," Mr Doherty said.
He continued: "...The RUC's CID not only failed to act on where all the available evidence was pointing to but, for some reason which has never been satisfactorily explained, decided to take the investigation in a totally different and erroneous direction altogether."
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Last Updated:
05 August 2008 5:38 PM
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Location:
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