The Police Service of Northern Ireland has acknowledged the findings of a Police Ombudsman investigation into the murders of RUC Constables Harold Beckett and Gary Meyer on 30 June 1990, and the murder of James Henry Babington on 4 October 1989.

The killings were linked through ballistics, and the matters were referred to the Police Ombudsman by the PSNI Chief Constable in 2015 and 2017, as well as by two family members of the deceased. Complaints focused on shortcomings in the police investigation and on practices within the RUC's Weapons & Explosives Research Centre (WERC) relating to the recovery, retention and disposal of terrorist weapons. Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: "Our first thoughts today are with the families of Constable Harold Beckett, Constable Gary Meyer and James Henry Babington who have had to live with the devastating loss of their loved ones by terrorists for many years. Today will have been yet another difficult day.

"I want to publicly apologise to the Beckett, Meyer and Babington families on behalf of the Police Service of Northern Ireland for the failings which have been highlighted in the handling of this case, the events prior to their murders and the subsequent investigation.

"Policing has of course developed over the past 30 years and the Police Service of Northern Ireland has implemented revised policies and procedures which guide how we approach criminal investigations, intelligence handling, training and investigative standards for detectives, forensic opportunities and family liaison processes today are unrecognisable from what was in place at the time of these awful murders. However, we acknowledge this will be of little comfort to these families who continue to suffer owing to policing's past failures."

The Police Service said it will now take time to consider the Ombudsman's report in full and, when appropriate, will meet with the families affected.