The Troubles: Anger at Police Ombudsman's 'impersonal' victims' letters

The Troubles was a period of conflict which lasted for 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people

The Police Ombudsman's office has been criticised over the manner in which 26 families have been told their complaints related to Troubles killings will not be investigated.

The move is a result of the Legacy Act, which came into force in September.

Victims' group Relatives for Justice (RfJ) said it received impersonal letters for people it supports.

It added that some of the families had made their complaints to the ombudsman "many, many years ago".

'Unwelcome development'

In a statement, the victims' group said that aside from the address, each letter said the same thing - that due to the Legacy Act the Police Ombudsman was not in a "position to investigate" their complaints.

"The letters are impersonal, not as much as mentioning the name of the person killed during the conflict, and acknowledge that families may view this as an 'unwelcome development'," it added.

A spokesperson for the Ombudsman's office said it "recognises that families will have been disheartened and frustrated with receipt of this news, and regrets that some have been disappointed on receipt of this communication".

"In April of this year many families were advised that the office would be unable to investigate their complaints prior to April 2024," they continued.

"A commitment was made to communicate further when the then proposed legacy legislation was progressed.  Following the enactment of this legislation it was important to advise these families of the impact of this legislation on their complaints," they added.

• What is the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill?

RfJ said it had now begun the process of contacting families to deliver "this devastating news".

The group's chairperson Bill Rolston added: "I can hardly describe the impact of these letters to families.

"While a totally inappropriate process of decision making and information sharing by the Police Ombudsman, this is the devastating outworking of the British government's shameful Legacy Act."

Sinn Féin MP John Finucane also criticised the letters, describing them as "disgraceful and cold".

"These letters are not individual to the families. Rather, they are a generic and impersonal letter which fails to take into account the sensitivities or grief felt by families who are waiting decades for the truth of what happened to their loved one," he said.

"The British government's cynical and cruel Legacy Bill was only about one thing; closing the door on families ever getting truth and justice."

The ombudsman's office has been approached for comment.

What is the Northern Ireland Legacy Act?

The law established a new body that victims and bereaved families can bring cases to - the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

It also offers a conditional amnesty to those accused of killings during the Troubles.

The act ends all other investigations, as well as new inquests and civil cases related to the Troubles.

Opponents, which include victims' groups and all political parties at Stormont, have argued it will remove access to justice.