Claims of collusion blacken our name says former RUC man on Police Ombudsman's report into 1974 Patsy Kelly murder investigation

​Ex policeman and TUV candidate Stewart Ferris said of the Ombudsman's report into the investigation of Patsy Kelly’s 1974 murder: “The report which accuses the RUC of ‘collusive behaviours’ paints a totally misleading picture of the security forces. In using such a term the office is unfairly blackening the name of the security forces.

"In the way this is being reported it is easy to miss the key fact that police had no prior knowledge of the murder.

“What has been described in the report is not collusion as it is commonly understood by the public.

“Once again it is telling that the overstretched nature of the security forces during the 1970s is ignored by the Ombudsman.”

DUP MP Gregory Campbell said: “Judging the actions of the RUC against contemporary standards ignores the substantial operational challenges facing officers.

“Mistakes were made, opportunities were missed and not every line of inquiry could be exhausted. This happens in every walk of life. However, that is in no way comparable with colluding with terrorists. Indeed, it is wrong for the Ombudsman to make sweeping claims of ‘collusive behaviours’ despite no such offence being defined in law, despite not a single prosecution or misconduct file being brought forward and despite seemingly no evidence of an improper motive on the part of officers.”