The PSNI is to carry out a review to establish if a criminal investigation is required into those who authorised and administered the torture of the 'Hooded Men' in Northern Ireland.
The Hooded Men are 14 men interned without trial in Northern Ireland in 1971 who were hooded, beaten, and subjected to five techniques of ‘deep interrogation’ that the UK Supreme Court has found would be characterised today as torture.
Last month, the PSNI formally apologised to the men and their families.
The fresh review follows a judgment of the UK Supreme Court on December 15, 2021 that quashed and described as "irrational" a decision of the PSNI to take no further action on foot of commitments it made following revelations in the RTÉ documentary, ‘The Torture Files’.
The Crown Solicitor’s Office wrote to lawyers for the men on Tuesday to inform them of the terms of reference of a fresh review, including that the Assistant Chief Constable will direct a criminal investigation if the review finds it is required.
The last PSNI report to determine if there were grounds for an investigation was a subject of appeals by lawyers for the Hooded Men, until ultimately, the UK Supreme Court found in December 2021 that it demonstrated an unfairness and a lack of professionalism and impartiality in the approach of the officer who compiled it.
The UK Supreme Court has already found that the use of the five techniques — hooding, wall standing, ‘white noise’, sleep deprivation and deprivation of food and water — was authorised at the highest Cabinet level of the British government at the time.
The Crown Solicitor’s Office letter said the review will consider "individuals who allegedly authorised the administration of the five techniques", individuals who allegedly administered them and individuals who allegedly administered techniques not in accordance with what was authorised.
The review is to be headed by Detective Chief Inspector Peter Billingsley of the Legacy Investigation Branch of the PSNI.
