Sean Brown murder: Police will not stand in way of public inquiry

Sean Brown was abducted from the grounds of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC in 1997

A public inquiry into the murder of a GAA official will not be objected to by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the force has said.

Sean Brown's family dismissed the move as a "calculated diversion" from inquest proceedings.

Mr Brown was abducted in Bellaghy, County Londonderry, and shot near Randalstown, County Antrim in 1997.

He was locking the gates of GAA club Bellaghy Wolfe Tones when he was taken by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF).

The inquest into the 61-year-old's death opened in March and is due to resume in January.

It has been delayed over the disclosure of police material.

Sean Brown's body was found in a burnt-out car near Randalstown

Earlier in November, it emerged MI5 was behind an application to withhold information from the inquest using a public interest immunity (PII) certificate.

A case management hearing was held at Belfast High Court on Thursday morning.

During proceedings a letter from the PSNI, received by the Brown family on Wednesday night, was read out in court.

In it the PSNI said it had encountered issues related to intelligence which, it said, could not be aired at an inquest.

"The PSNI considers these issues will inevitably and unavoidably require a closed hearing," the correspondence stated.

It went on: "The PSNI position is that an inquest is not the appropriate vehicle for the continuation of the investigation into the death of Mr Brown.

"In the event that the family seek a public inquiry into Mr Brown's death, PSNI confirms that it does not dispute that a public inquiry, which would have the facility for a closed hearing to address such issues, would be an appropriate method to continue the investigation into the death of Mr Brown."

'Public scandal'

The letter also stated that Chief Constable Jon Boutcher was prepared to meet Mr Brown's family "if they so wish".

Des Fahy KC, representing the Brown family, accused the PSNI of "a calculated diversion from the work of the inquest".

He said the family were "appalled and distressed by the development", which he described as "a public scandal".

"This is high-handed and arrogant in terms of how it appears the chief constable feels he can direct the progress of this inquest," Mr Fahy said.

"A public inquiry is not the gift of the chief constable.

"The PII process must continue to its conclusion. To talk in any shape of a public inquiry shows disregard for the inquest process.

"The failure by state parties to disclose material is cynical in the extreme."

Mr Brown's family is concerned delays will mean the inquest cannot complete by the May deadline.

All conflict-era inquests will be ended at that point under the Troubles Act.

The act does not prohibit the holding of public inquiries into Troubles incidents, which are decisions for government.

The coroner in charge of the case said he would "take a breath" and hold another hearing week.