Derry's McConomy family urges new PSNI Chief Constable to 'build trust' with Troubles victims

The brother of an 11-year-old boy shot dead by the British army has called on new PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher to “build trust” with victims of the Troubles.

Emmett McConomy, whose brother Stephen was killed by a plastic bullet on Friday, April 16, 1982, described his family’s experience of the RUC/PSNI as “nothing short of negative”.

Speaking to Derry Now, Emmett said his family has sought answers to questions they have regarding Stephen's death.
He said: “The RUC’s alleged investigation into the circumstances surrounding Stephen’s death were less than professional. There was a downright lack of empathy and care from the RUC at the time.

“They interviewed the soldier responsible for 93 minutes after Stephen’s life-support machine was switched off.

“We are talking here about an 11-year-old boy who was gunned down in the street by a British soldier. They had interviewed him previously and essentially he said he was sticking to his original statement and he had nothing further to add,.”

The McConomy family has “campaigned tirelessly for decades” to get answers about what happened to Stephen.

According to Emmett the answers were not forthcoming from either the RUC or the PSNI.

He said: “Maybe now Jon Boutcher is onboard we will get answers. However, I very much doubt it because of the [Legacy] legislation which has been passed by the British Government. That has effectively closed down all avenues of investigation and has left families with the tokenistic, table-top exercises the PSNI is offering people.

“These are not Article Two compliant and they fly in the face of international law. We all deserve better and I don’t think there is any family out there that is willingly going to engage and accept this tokenistic gesture from the British Government. I can’t see anyone engaging with them.”

Emmett explained that Article Two is designed to ensure police investigations are Human Rights compliant.

“The RUC didn’t do a proper investigation into Stephen’s murder at the time. So, essentially, there has been no thorough, robust, Article 2 compliant investigation into the death of my brother,” said Emmett, “That has never happened”.

“We had an inquest, which was conducted in 1983 under a lot of pressure from the RUC at the time.

“Basically, our family was abused in the courts by the RUC. After Stephen’s death, Mum’s house was raided by the RUC. Now we are talking about an 11-year-old child here, who was shot dead by a plastic bullet. Mum was a single parent with two young boys, myself and my brother, Mark, in our Dove Gardens home and the RUC actually used the regiment who murdered Stephen to raid the house.

“To me, that sent a very clear signal to my Mum and the rest of the family that if you try to pursue this matter further, you will have the State to deal with. There was no way a single mother on her own with two young children, after burying her eldest, was going to challenge the State, the RUC and the British army.

“It just was not going to happen. Mum had to protect her two young boys and that is what she focused on. However, we are in a different climate now and we have been in a different climate since the Good Friday Agreement, and that is why families like ourselves have come forward to challenge what happened in the past and to seek answers,.”

Emmett recalled that the prevailing narrative at the time of Stephen’s murder was that there was “a severe riot going on in Derry”.

“That is false, said Emmett. “It is not true. There was no riot. The British army manufactured photos to show a saracen parked in Fort George, which had apparently travelled the whole way from Fahan Street, down through the town, all the way down to the Strand Road to Fort George.

“There are no other words you could use. They staged the saracen. The photographs showed bricks and boulders and everything across the bonnet and on the side fenders of the saracen.

“Logic would tell you there is no way that vehicle travelled from Fahan Street to Fort George with rubble all over it. It is just untrue.

“That is what you are up against. You have the British army manufacturing evidence to justify shooting an 11-year-old child. There is no justification for what happened to my brother.”

Turning to the newly-appointed PSNI Chief Constable, Emmet said he was aware Jon Boutcher was a very experienced chief constable.

“He has 35 years of experience behind him. He also  has numerous years of working here in the Kenova case, so he is across it. He knows his stuff. He also knows what happened here and the narrative out there for a lot of victims is simply untrue. I would call on him to try and build trust with the victims of the Troubles,” said Emmett.

“My brother was not a rioter. My brother was no threat to the British army, yet they gunned him down and nothing was done about it.

“That is unforgivable and we will not forget about that. I do get it. Jon Boutcher’s hands are tied by the legislation the British Government pushed through. I fully understand he has limited resources but the token gestures that have come out of this legislation, is not acceptable.

“We will not be engaging with the PSNI in relation to the death of my brother because it can’t be independent from the past. The PSNI are not honest brokers. They were involved in the past. They played a role in the conflict. Therefore, there needs to be an independent investigation surrounding the murders that took place on this island. That is not a job for the PSNI.

“I think Jon Boutcher needs to concentrate on policing today and deal with the issues that are at hand. And, as family members, we will challenge this legislation through the courts. It has to be removed and the rights of the citizens of this island reinstated.”
Emmett said the first test in relation to legacy for Jon Boutcher was going to be his Kenova report into Stakeknife.

“He has been quoted as saying he has submitted the report. So it is there with the Chief Constable and it is good to go.

“Well, Jon Boutcher is now the Chief Constable, so let’s see the report. It is going to be interesting.

“Let’s see if he is true to his word. Let’s get it out there and see what it contains.”