Family of murdered councillor Patsy Kelly receive police apology

By Jonathan McCambridge (PA)

The family of a nationalist councillor murdered more than half a century ago has received an apology from police.

Patsy Kelly, 35, was abducted and murdered on his way home from work in Co Tyrone by loyalist paramilitaries in 1974.

His body was found weeks later in a lake in County Fermanagh.

His family was “failed by police” at the time, a Police Ombudsman report previously found.

At Belfast High Court on Wednesday, barrister for the Kelly family Des Fahy KC, read out a statement in which the PSNI apologised for “inadequacies” in the investigation, but did not admit liability.

The statement said: “The late Patsy Kelly was a 35-year-old loving husband and father.

“He served with distinction as a local councillor and was an esteemed member of the local Trillick community.

“His abduction and murder in 1974 sent shockwaves through that local community.”

The Kelly family had launched legal proceedings against the PSNI in relation to the 1974 RUC investigation.

Mr Fahy said that a full and final settlement had now been agreed between the Kelly family and the PSNI.

The statement added: “The PSNI does not admit liability but recognises and accepts that aspects of that investigation by the RUC in 1974 fell below expected standards.

“The PSNI apologises to the Kelly family for the inadequacies in that investigation.

“The PSNI also acknowledges the deep and lasting grief suffered by Mrs Kelly and the Kelly family because of the murder of Mr Kelly.

“The PSNI acknowledges that those shortcomings caused additional distress to Mrs Kelly and her family and affirms its commitment to learning from such cases in order to strengthen public confidence in the justice system.”

The statement also said that the PSNI “acknowledges the dignity with which Mrs Kelly and her family have pursued this matter.”

Mrs Kelly was not in court to hear the apology, but Mr Fahy said she has had access to it and endorsed it.

A statement from the Kelly family said: “It cannot be overstated as to how important this apology is to our family, friends and entire community.”

It added: “Fifty-one years ago, on July 24 1974, Patsy was abducted in Trillick and brutally murdered.

“Since then our family, spearheaded by our 84-year-old mother Teresa Kelly, have fought relentlessly for truth and justice for Patsy.

“The apology is needed to acknowledge the inadequacies of the entire police investigation.”

The statement added: “It is also poignant for us to have the formal apology read out in a court of law and into public record by our barrister, Des Fahy KC.

“This civil action was started many years ago by Pat Fahy, a great friend of Patsy and our whole family as well as our solicitor until his death in 2019.

“What Pat Fahy started, symbolically his son Des Fahy finished today.”

The family statement concluded: “Today, we receive this formal apology both for our family and our entire community.

“It is now up to each individual to process their own thoughts towards this statement and to form their own position.”

Solicitor Adrian O’Kane, who represented Mrs Kelly, added: “It is regrettable that such is the toll taken on her that she was too poorly to attend court for the conclusion of these proceedings.”

Patsy Kelly was murdered in July 1974