Police did not collude with Robert Hamill attackers, inquiry finds
By Cormac Campbell, BBC News NI south east reporter and Mark Simpson, Community correspondent, BBC News NI
Published 14 September 2026, 14:44 BST
Updated 7 minutes ago
An inquiry into the sectarian murder of Robert Hamill
An inquiry into the sectarian murder of Robert Hamill has concluded that police officers who were near the attack did not condone or collude with the attackers.
Key findings
- Robert Hamill was beaten by loyalists in Portadown, County Armagh, in 1997 and died aged 25.
- The report, published on Monday, highlighted multiple wrongful omissions in the subsequent murder investigation.
- It concluded that Robert Hamill had been assaulted before police officers got out of their vehicle, but they attempted to restore order and did not collude with the attackers.
- The inquiry found that serving RUC officers were guilty of wrongful omissions, both at the scene and during the initial investigation.
- Some mistakes were negligent, while others were deliberate.
The inquiry
The inquiry concluded its work in 2009 and finished its report in 2011, but its findings could not be published until recent prosecutions related to the case concluded.
Costly inquiry
The 290-page report followed an inquiry that cost approximately £33m.
Background to the murder
Robert Hamill’s killing occurred during the Northern Ireland peace process but highlighted the deep sectarian divisions that remained.
