American family accuse PSNI of cover-up

Posted by Jim on November 28, 2016

The family of a US citizen killed by the RUC (now PSNI) police in 1997
have accused those involved of being part of a “conspiracy of silence”.

Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire this week confirmed an inquest finding
that it was “highly probable” that one or more RUC members were
responsible for the injuries which contributed to John Hemsworth’s
death.

Mr Hemsworth was left with a broken jaw and bruising to his neck and
back following the assault. He suffered a stroke six months later and
died on New Year’s Day 1998, at the age of 39.

The attack happened during a night of rioting in west Belfast linked to
the Drumcree dispute in Portadown, where the RUC attempted to force a
sectarian Orange Order parade down the nationalist Garvaghy Road.

Members of the dead man’s family pursued the case for 18u years despite
being repeatedly fobbed off by the Six County authorities. The resulting
inquest and an investigation by the Police Ombudsman’s office confirmed
John Hemsworth was in the same location as the PSNI members at the time
of the fatal assault.

Mr Hemsworth’s daughter Danielle welcomed the Police Ombudsman’s
findings but said they were “deeply upset and concerned” that those
responsible continue to evade accountability and justice.

“At the very minimum if these serving officers cannot recall the assault
on my daddy, despite numerous investigations and an inquest, then are
they really fit to serve as police officers?”, she said.

Her mother Collette Hemsworth said it had been an “emotionally
exhausting journey in establishing the truth and the facts surrounding
John’s death”.

“I was robbed of my loving husband and my daughter of her devoted
father,” she said.

“Nothing can ever replace that aching gap in our lives. The cherished
memories we have of John remain with us every single day. He was a
wonderful human being who would not have harmed a living soul and yet he
was so cruelly set upon.”

The victim’s brother Paul Hemsworth said his father died without seeing
the completed report.

“The RUC officers’ lack of co-operation since this time has led to an
18-year delay,” he said. “My brother was in the wrong place at the wrong
time. Let this be on the RUC officers’ conscience.”

Relatives for Justice director Mark Thompson said it was astonishing
that none of the PSNI men interviewed could recall the incident. “We
find this situation beyond incredible,” he said.