Eugene Thompson, the brother of Paul 'Topper' Thompson who was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1994 with suspected state collusion has died, just days after receiving an apology from the PSNI.
Eugene Thompson had welcomed an official PSNI apology on Wednesday last week, relating to RUC and PSNI failings in relation to the sectarian murder.
He had been terminally ill, with Chief Constable Jon Boucher personally delivering the apology to him in hospital, following a recent request for an apology from the PSNI.
The apology had acknowledged that there were Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) failures to investigate and arrest potential suspects.
It also acknowledged the conclusion of the Historical Enquiries Team that the RUC could have taken steps that may have prevented Paul Thompson's murder.
Additionally, the apology acknowledged significant disclosure delays by the police to the inquest.
Speaking last week on receipt of the apology, Eugene Thompson thanked Mr Boucher for coming himself and for "acting quickly in delivering the apology from the PSNI after we had asked for it".
"That's different to the British Supreme Court who also know my situation and I had hoped they would have made their judgment by now but there is no sign of it," he said.
"The apology makes clear the RUC didn’t investigate and arrest suspects when they could have and that they could have done things that could have prevented Paul’s murder."
Following the death of Eugene Thompson, the Relatives for Justice (RFJ) and the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) said they acknowledged his passing with "deep sadness".
"Eugene died without ever seeing the disclosure of the intelligence material relevant to his brother's inquest. He died without hearing the Supreme Court judgment. Most tragically, he died without truth or justice for what happened to Paul," the joint-statement said.
It said he had spent the final years of his life leading his family's campaign for truth, following in the footsteps of his late mother Margaret, who "also passed away without answers".
The statement said he fought with "determination and dignity", while gravely ill and facing "continued institutional resistance".
'Profound injustice'
"That he has died while the case remains unresolved is a profound injustice which should weigh heavily on those responsible for the persistent delays, obstruction and legal challenges that have defined this process," it added.
The RFJ and CAJ said Paul Thompson's family is entitled to "even the most limited information, a gist, about the intelligence the State holds on his death".
"The highest authorities in this jurisdiction agreed the information should be shared. The High Court and Court of Appeal ruled in favour of disclosure.
"The PSNI, under Jon Boutcher, supported this ruling. However, the UK government, through the Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence and Home Office, chose to appeal," the statement said.
"The Supreme Court heard the case in June and has not yet issued a ruling. These delays continued despite the government being fully aware of Eugene’s terminal illness."
