Inquiry Over Sectarian Murder

The Catholic, Robert Hamill, 25, died in hospital on Thursday, twelve days after he was beaten unconscious at Portadown, County Armagh.

The new Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam, called the murder "an appalling act of sectarian bigotry."

The Irish Prime Minister, John Bruton, condemned what he called "this senseless act of violence", adding: "Those responsible must be pursued with the full extent of the law and brought to justice."

Witnesses have said that Mr Hamill saw the group of youths who attacked him but decided to walk past them because police were nearby - but that when he was set upon, the police did nothing to save him and were slow even to call an ambulance.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary has denied that its men failed to intervene as a crowd of up to 30 beat Mr Hamill and a friend unconscious. The allegations are to be investigated by the independent Commission for Police Complaints.

The men were on their way home from a night out with two friends, one of them Mr Hamill's pregnant fiancée, when they were knocked to the ground. The fiancée, Caroline Maguire, 23, who is expecting their third child in July, said the two men were kicked repeatedly about the head.

"You wouldn't have done that to an animal and it could have been prevented."

Brid Rogers of the SDLP
"Why didn't police act immediately?"

Police have promised to track down the murderers, but nationalist politicians and community leaders were not satisfied. Brid Rogers of the SDLP demanded an immediate, independent inquiry, over the claims that RUC officers sat in Land Rovers and failed to save the two men from the screaming crowd.

Mr Hamill's death has heightened people's fears in Portadown. The town is bitterly divided already over plans for the annual parade by Protestant Orangemen in July, from the village of Drumcree into a Catholic part of Portadown. Catholics claim they risk attack by loyalists every time they walk through the town centre.

"I think it is bound to increase sectarian tension - it is bound to increase fears. It will also increase anger within the community. But what I would say to the community is to think about where this sectarian hatred is leading the whole community and to stand back and remain calm," Ms Rogers said.