A murder inquest in Northern Ireland has been halted after it emerged that a suspect in the killing was wrongly issued with a so-called "On The Run" letter.
The court was told that in 2008 the letter was passed from the British government to Gerry Kelly of Sinn Féin, who then passed it on to the man who was a suspect in the murder.
Gareth O'Connor, 24, disappeared in 2003 near the border while on his way to Dundalk Garda Station to sign bail over a charge of membership of the Real IRA.
His body was found two years later in a car in Newry Canal.
His family alleged he was murdered by the IRA - a claim denied by the organisation.
Today the inquest was halted after it emerged that a chief suspect in the death had been wrongly issued with a British government letter of comfort, assuring him he was not being sought by the authorities.
The inquest was halted to allow the PSNI to assess whether a prosecution is now possible in the case.
The OTR scheme came to public prominence last year when the prosecution of a man for the murder of four soldiers in an IRA bombing in Hyde Park in 1982 was halted when it emerged he received one of the letters in error when he was in fact wanted by the Metropolitan Police.
Donegal man John Downey, 63, who denied involvement in the bomb, walked free from the Old Bailey when the judge ruled that his arrest had been an abuse of process.
Around 200 letters were issued to individuals under the scheme, with Sinn Féin acting as the conduit in many of the cases.
Last year a review into the process ordered by British Prime Minister David Cameron and conducted by Lady Justice Heather Hallett identified other instances where errors may have been made.
The suspect in the O'Connor case has now been revealed as one of those cases.
A lawyer for Northern Ireland's Senior Coroner John Leckey told the court he was only made aware of the development by the police on Friday afternoon.
A lawyer for the PSNI today apologised to Mr O'Connor's family for the timing of the dramatic disclosure.
