Key IRA suspect of the Hyde Park bombings walks free on a police ‘blunder’

John Downey, 62, was a main suspect for the murder of four soldiers by the IRA (Provisional Irish Republican Army) and has now been let free due to a police error that gave him effective immunity.

The Hyde Park and Regent Park bombings occurred in 1982 and resulted in the deaths of 11 military personnel, four in Hyde Park and seven in Regent’s Park. John Downey had been wanted for over 30 years and was finally arrested at Gatwick Airport in May of last year for his apparent role in the Hyde Park bombings.

However, it was found that John Downey would not be prosecuted after it emerged that he was given a ‘letter of assurance’ that gave him effective immunity from prosecution. This was one of 187 letters send out by the Government in 2007 as part of a deal struck for the Northern Ireland peace settlement.

These letters were given to ‘on the run’ IRA suspects who had fled abroad and wanted to return to Northern Ireland and was wrongly sent to Mr Downey because of a ‘catastrophic failure’ by the police who failed to notice a warrant for his arrest was still outstanding for the bombings. Although this letter was discovered six years ago, the police continued with the prosecution and now the collapse of the case means that it is highly unlikely that anyone will be prosecuted over the bombings. Mr Justice Sweeny threw out the case after ruling that the letter of assurance still stood even though it was sent to the wrong person.

Relatives of the murdered soldiers said they were ‘devastatingly let down’ and placed blame on the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who knew that Mr Downey was wanted over the Hyde Park bomb but did not notify the authorities. Peter Robinson, the Northern Ireland First Minister, said Mr Downey had been handed “a get out of jail free card” and urged an appeal against the decision.