Human rights chief criticises ‘misleading characterisation’ of her legacy quotes

The head of the Northern Ireland Humans Rights Commission has rejected claims that she questioned the integrity of former security forces personnel working on legacy cases in the region.

Chief Commissioner Alyson Kilpatrick told MPs that comments she made in a newspaper interview in the summer had been later “misleadingly characterised” as criticism of former Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officers who work in the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

In the Irish News interview, Ms Kilpatrick questioned whether the state could fulfil its obligation to carry out effective and independent investigations into Troubles crimes, particularly those involving alleged involvement of former police officers, when the ICRIR’s lead commissioner for investigations was himself a retired senior police officer, namely former high-ranking RUC and PSNI commander Peter Sheridan.

Her remarks have prompted a legal challenge in the courts, with Gary Murray, whose sister Leanne was killed in the 1993 Shankill Road bomb, taking judicial review proceedings against the commissioner claiming she does not have the legal authority to question the independence of former police officers working on legacy cases.

Giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster on Wednesday, Ms Kilpatrick vowed to defend the legal challenge in court as she claimed she did not say what some have accused her of saying.

The human rights chief was appearing alongside Northern Ireland Veterans Commission David Johnstone in a hearing focused on the Government’s plans to reform legacy structures.

Under the plans, the Government is undertaking a major restructure of the ICRIR, renaming it the Legacy Commission.

The new look commission will have two directors of investigation rather than one lead commissioner of investigations.

During his evidence to the committee, Mr Johnstone told MPs he found it “disappointing” that Ms Kilpatrick had made comments “questioning the integrity of some ex-RUC officers”.

The Human Rights Chief Commissioner responded directly to the Veterans’ Commissioner.

“Can I deal with that one suggestion that I, on behalf of the commission, made a comment about the integrity of the RUC or any RUC officer – that’s simply not true,” she said.

“And I have clarified on numerous occasions. Other people have put it to me that I’ve said that, but that’s not what I’ve said. That could not be further from the truth. From the outset, I was aware that there were numerous ex-RUC officers as investigators within the ICRIR, many of whom I knew when I was working at the Policing Board – I knew well and had huge respect for their integrity.

“No criticism was made whatsoever of their place there, and no criticism is made today.”

Ms Kilpatrick said her comments about Mr Sheridan related to the role of commissioner, rather than the former officer as an individual.

“What we were talking about was the role,” she said.

“And integrity was absolutely not part of the issue. We were only ever talking about those cases where the RUC may be implicated, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that there needed to be greater experience and background in the investigators, those who occupy that singular role.”

She added: “So, as I understand it, the reason there are two directors (in the reformed commission structure) is so that there can be a ring fence around some investigations.

“It absolutely does not disqualify any individual in terms of integrity or experience or otherwise.

“And, in fact, what I’ve said, and I’ve had to put out another statement to correct the misleading characterisation of what I said, that it is absolutely not about that, that they (former police and military personnel) are very well placed (to work in the commission).

“They’ve served very well. I know many of them, and I know people personally who’ve lost their lives.

“So I will not have it repeated again, I’m afraid.

“I want it made absolutely clear, not for my sake, for the sake of veterans and ex-police officers, as I say, whom I know very well, that I have never once questioned their integrity.

“I do not question their integrity. I do not question their ability to lead these organisations.

“So comments were made in relation to a post, and anyone who cares to read what I actually said, it’s absolutely clear that it was not about an individual and absolutely not about an organisation (the police) whom I have supported for many years, including through the Policing Board.”

Ms Kilpatrick made clear that she did not believe that the Irish News had misrepresented her comments, rather that some people had subsequently sought to mischaracterise what she had said.

Committee member and DUP leader Gavin Robinson asked Ms Kilpatrick if she acknowledged that it was a “regrettable situation” that a bereaved relative had felt the need to take her court over her comments. Mr Robinson also told the commissioner that he disagreed with her original remarks.

She responded: “You say you disagree with what I said – I am unclear which bit of it you disagree with, because I have not said what I’m accused of saying, which was to malign the RUC or any RUC officer, quite the contrary.

“So I don’t know where the disagreement lies.”

The commissioner added: “I did not say, and it does not appear in that Irish news article, what you said I said. So there’s not much more I can say about that.

“The litigation will be defended.”