Coroner says inquest for murdered former IRA man must go ahead as scheduled

An inquest into the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan should go ahead next year as scheduled, a coroner has said.

Coroner Patrick McGurgan agreed to a request to delay a hearing to decide whether sensitive police material relating to the case should be redacted, but only on the basis that it does not affect the date for the full inquest.

Mr McGuigan, a father of nine, was shot in the Short Strand in Belfast in August 2015.

His murder prompted a political crisis at Stormont amid claims IRA members were involved in the killing.

A full inquest is planned for March 20 next year but, ahead of that, material related to the shooting must be security vetted and distributed to the legal parties involved.

Police are currently examining sensitive material and a hearing had been scheduled for October to consider any applications they might make to redact evidence on public interest immunity (PII) grounds.

But during a brief preliminary hearing on Thursday, Peter Coll QC, acting for the PSNI, said further material relating to the case had been identified by police.

He said: “In respect of the work under way in respect of the sensitive materials, the PII exercise, that has been continuing over the summer time and my client has been continuing work in preparing materials for the PII process, but also ensuring that all searches are completed in respect of this matter.

“As it turns out, an event over the summer time has made clear that there is further material, some of which has been identified and some of which is still being gathered, which will have to be reviewed by your counsel for purposes of determination of potential relevance.

“That is material of a sensitive nature, so in light of that I think that realistically it seems to us likely that the PII hearing listed to begin October 24, there may be need in all likelihood for those dates to be pushed back to perhaps a later stage of this year in order to allow time for work on these further materials to be concluded.”

Mr Coll said he did not envisage that the delay to the PII hearing would delay the full inquest next year.

Mr McGurgan said: “All of us who are experienced at conducting inquests know that there can be slippage, particularly when it comes to the issue of PII.

“There is some reassurance given to me that if I am to accede to the request to move the PII dates to later in the year, it is unlikely that would interfere with the hearing dates.

“It is on that basis and on the basis that more material has been uncovered, which I suppose in relation to this particular inquest is not unexpected, I will relist the PII hearing at a date that is suitable.

“I want to make it very clear I am acceding to this on the basis that no-one is going to come along and tell me that March 20 is in jeopardy.”

The shooting of Mr McGuigan followed the murder of ex-IRA commander Jock Davison in the Markets area of the city three months earlier.

Mr Davison and Mr McGuigan had been involved in a personal dispute.

Police believe Mr McGuigan’s killers suspected him of involvement in Mr Davison’s death.

Mr McGuigan’s death led then PSNI chief constable Sir George Hamilton to state that the Provisional IRA still existed and some of its members were involved in the murder.

He said there was no evidence the killing was sanctioned by the organisation.

The killing led to a period of instability at Stormont, with DUP ministers engaging in a series of rolling resignations in protest at the IRA’s alleged involvement in the shooting.