大象传媒

Was a dangerous criminal able to murder two people, including his ex-girlfriend, as a direct result of failures by the police? The family of Caron Smyth believe so. She and friend Finbar McGrillen were savagely beaten to death by Shaun Hegarty and accomplice Ciaran Nugent in Belfast in 2013, just days after Hegarty was arrested on suspicion for attacking Caron with a metal bar. Hegarty had been freed on police bail at the time, but against the official guidelines. Six officers have now been disciplined and the Police Ombudsman has described the actions of the police as flawed. Dr Michael Maguire has been telling me why.