Family of murdered backpacker 'place hope' in inquest

The body of Inga Maria Hauser was found in Ballypatrick Forest, Ballycastle, in 1988

A senior coroner has said his court will do everything it can to facilitate an investigation into the death of a young German backpacker 36 years ago.

Joe McCrisken made the statement at a preliminary hearing of the inquest into the murder of Inga Maria Hauser.

The 18-year-old’s body was found in Ballypatrick Forest, Ballycastle, in 1988.

No one has ever been charged with her killing.

The family of Ms Hauser, who was from Munich, have campaigned for years for the truth about what happened to her.

On Monday, Ms Hauser’s sister Friederike listened over video link as the preliminary proceedings got under way at the coroner’s court sitting at Laganside.

Malachy McGowan, the barrister representing her, told the coroner: “My client is very grateful for the decision to hold this hearing today.

“The family have been waiting for decades and they place their trust and considerable hope in this process.”

Mr McCrisken scheduled a further review hearing for 22 January.

He agreed the family had waited “a long time”, adding: “We'll do everything we can to facilitate an investigation into this lady’s death.”

He also said there was a “considerable amount of material” that would be disclosed as part of the inquest “by the PSNI, the PPS and perhaps other agencies”.

Claire McKeegan, who represents the Hauser family, said the inquest would be "the first full examination of the facts in the tragedy" of the murder.

Ms McKeegan said Ms Hauser's family, including Friederike and her nephew Viktor, were "seeking justice and truth".

"Since Inga's brutal murder in 1988, her family back in Germany have been desperate for the truth as to what happened to her that night, who inflicted this cruelty on her and why those responsible have not been brought to justice," she told BBC News NI.

"Sadly her parents are not alive to see this day. The pain that they endured in the aftermath of Inga's death was indescribable and all-consuming.

"This inquest will be the first full public examination of the facts in the tragedy of her murder."

Claire McKeegan (R), who represents the Hauser family, said they are "desperate for the truth"

Ms Hauser's mother died in 2019 and her father in 2006, never knowing what happened to their daughter.

The late SDLP politician, John Dallat, campaigned for years to keep a spotlight on the case.

Ms McKeegan said the Hauser family was grateful for the public support over the years, and in particular to Mr Dallat "for keeping Inga's case in the public eye as the years went on and the case went cold".