Three arrested in connection with 1975 murder of RUC officer

Three people have been arrested in connection with an investigation into the murder of a policeman and the attempted murder of another in 1975.

The trio were detained in relation to the murder of RUC Constable Robert John McPherson and the attempted murder of a second officer in Dungiven, Co Londonderry, on July 26 1975.

Two of the men, aged 73 and 72, were arrested by gardai in Co Meath and Co Donegal on Wednesday morning.

They were due to appear before extradition courts in Dublin later in the day.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the 72-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder and the 73-year-old on suspicion of firearms offences linked to the murder and attempted murder.

The arrests were made by the Garda under a Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TaCA) Warrant as part of a joint operation with the PSNI.

In Northern Ireland, PSNI detectives arrested a 71-year-old man in the Dungiven area as part of the same investigation.

He was expected to appear before Londonderry Magistrates’ Court later on Wednesday.

A decision to prosecute the three individuals was issued by the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service prior to the commencement of the UK Government’s contentious new legacy laws that seek to limit future Troubles-related cases.

The PSNI said it has been liaising closely with the Garda and that the arrests “demonstrate the benefits of joint working between police services and other national partner agencies”.