Sinn Féin MLA and justice spokesperson Linda Dillon has said a settlement made to the family of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones chairman Sean Brown today is a clear indication of failures in the police investigation into the 1997 murder.

The Mid Ulster MLA said:

“Today, the PSNI has made an undisclosed settlement to the family of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA chairman Sean Brown for failures in the original police investigation.

“Sean Brown was abducted and murdered by a Loyalist death squad 25 years ago while locking up the GAA club.

“There has always been concerns of collusion between the RUC and Loyalist death squads.

“Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan said as far back as 2004 that the police investigation hade been ‘incomplete and inadequate’ and she said that ‘no earnest effort was made to identify those who had carried out the murder’.

“The Brown family has been critical of the police handling of Sean Brown’s murder and this settlement today is the clearest indication that there were serious failures.

“This has added additional trauma to a family that has already suffered so much. 

“Sinn Féin will continue to support the Brown family in their campaign for truth and justice.”