Martin O'Hagan: Police 'did not act' on journalist murder tip-off

Martin O'Hagan was killed as he walked home from a pub with his wife

Police were given names of people said to have been involved in the killing of journalist Martin O'Hagan within 48 hours of his murder, but did not act on the information, security sources have told a BBC investigation.

Mr O'Hagan was shot dead in Lurgan in September 2001, by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF).

An insider, known as Witness A, met two detectives soon after, BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme has learned.

It is understood he said he had been contacted and asked to go to a yard in Lurgan to help, as the murder gang got rid of the getaway car and other items.

And he named individuals he claimed were involved.

But no one was arrested and the yard was not searched.

This new information has emerged amid fresh claims by the O'Hagan family that state informers had a role in the murder and have been protected from prosecution.

'Inexplicable'

The O'Hagan's lawyer, Niall Murphy, said it was inconceivable that police in 2001 were given names, addresses and roles played, "and nothing was done".

Security sources have also said this was "inexplicable".

The murder was deemed an attack on the freedom of the press and the authorities vowed no stone would be left unturned to bring the killers to justice.

It is understood the detective leading the initial murder investigation has said he was not told about Witness A in 2001.

The O'Hagan family is now asking why, it appears, someone in the police did not pass Witness A's information on to the murder inquiry.

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Witness A came forward, again, to a new team of detectives in 2007. It is believed this is when it was discovered that he had provided his information to police six years earlier.

On the basis of his claims, five men were arrested and charged in connection with the murder in 2008.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) later had issues with Witness A's reliability because he had past convictions, including for deception.

But police investigators were confident in Witness A's information.

One of the men he named, Neil Hyde, from Lurgan, confessed to possession of the murder weapon, on the night of the killing.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said it would be inappropriate to comment on Witness A or other issues raised in Tuesday's Spotlight programme because the Police Ombudsman is investigating the case, and there are ongoing legal proceedings.

• Watch the full programme at 22:35 GMT on Tuesday on BBC One Northern Ireland on