Castlerock ‘cold case’ shows shortcomings

DETECTIVES CANNOT BE COMPELLED TO CO-OPERATE | INFORMATION ‘MISSING’

Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart

THE Police Ombudsman’s probe into the “deeply flawed” RUC investigation into the double murders of their partners by lovers Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart in Castlerock, County Derry, in 1991 has shown shortcomings in the powers to compel retired police officers to come forward as witnesses, Sinn Féin has said.
Sinn Féin consequently tabled a motion to the Assembly pressing the Justice Minister to introduce “effective measures to ensure that information and evidence provided by former or serving police officers is retained and released to any independent investigation into allegations of police wrongdoing”.
Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan were found dead in a fume-filled car in a garage in May 1991.
The deaths were regarded by investigators as the result of a double suicide pact after the shock discovery that their partners were having an affair. In fact, the deaths were stage-managed by Colin Howell to look like suicides. Colin Howell’s and Hazel Stewart’s affair subsequently ended.
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Raymond McCartney, Vice-Chair of the Assembly Justice Committee, said that although the PSNI itself fully co-operated with the investigation:
“A concern is that two police officers who were senior detectives central to the Castlerock murder investigation refused to provide formal witness statements to the investigators from the Police Ombudsman’s office.
“The report also states that the whereabouts of some information relevant to the Police Ombudsman’s investigation is ‘currently unknown’ – including the original crime scene examination notes from a scene of the crime officer and forensic evidence gathered at the scene.”
He said there are also broader implications for the powers of the Police Ombudsman’s Office. The report concludes that no misconduct recommendations could be made by the Ombudsman’s office because the officers involved are now retired or deceased. Nor could the senior detectives involved at the very heart of Castlerock investigation be compelled to attend for interview.
“These deficiencies must be rectified if the Ombudsman’s office is to become fully effective,” Raymond McCartney said.