A report into a Belfast bombing 40 years ago that claimed the lives of 15 civilians has criticised the original police investigation.
Immediately after the bombing of McGurk’s bar in December 1971, the RUC and British Army indicated that republicans were responsible for the atrocity.
But seven years later, Robert Campbell, a member of the loyalist paramilitary organisation, the UVF, was convicted of the murders and attempted murders.
In his report published this afternoon, Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson identifies a range of flaws in the investigation.
Mr Hutchinson says the RUC failed to give adequate consideration to possible involvement by loyalist paramilitaries.
Police, he states, had no meaningful contact with the bereaved families.
He describes how some of the police briefings inferred that victims of the bombing were culpable in the atrocity and that this caused the bereaved families great distress, which has continued for many years.
Mr Hutchinson highlights how the misleading police analysis was passed on to the then British prime minister and John Taylor, the minister for Home Affairs at Stormont, and repeated by them.
He also details how two men, interned in relation to alleged IRA activities, were wrongly accused of involvement in the McGurk's bombing.
The report outlines how following the arrest and conviction of UVF member Robert Campbell in connection with the bombing, the police failed to effectively investigate the involvement of other UVF members.
In another finding, the Ombudsman concludes that while the decision to rigorously investigate loyalist paramilitary involvement was a serious failure, the failings fell short of collusion.
Mr Hutchinson makes two recommendations. He says PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott should satisfy himself that all investigative opportunities have been exhausted.
He also recommends that the Chief Constable should acknowledge the enduring pain caused to the families by the actions of the then RUC following the atrocity.
The owner of McGurk's bar lost his wife and 12-year-old daughter in the bombing.
Pat McGurk died in 2007 having made public that he forgave those responsible for the atrocity.
Mr Baggot has said that it is the unequivocal belief of the PSNI that none of the victims of the bombing were in anyway involved in causing the atrocity.
He said he had the deepest sympathy for the victims and families of the atrocity and said he understood that their loss and pain will be undiminished by time.
