The investigation into the sectarian murder of Robert Hamill found that the police officers in the car near the attack did not condone or collude with the attackers.
However, the investigation revealed that there were numerous mistakes made by police during the investigation, including warning the suspect to destroy the clothes he was wearing that night.
Monday’s report, externalhighlighted numerous inappropriate omissions in the subsequent murder investigation, including the failure to properly search the home of the main suspect.
Robert Hamill was 25 when he died after being beaten by loyalists in Portadown, County Armagh, in 1997.
The investigation concluded in 2009 and its report was completed in 2011, but the findings could not be published until three trials in the case had been completed.
The investigation concluded: “We have established that Robert Hamill was assaulted before the Land Rover officers exited the vehicle.
“However, they did not know about the attack and, getting out of the car, tried to restore order.
“They did not in any way condone or collude with the attackers.”
Although the investigation showed that the four officers in the police car could not have prevented the murder, the police investigation was flawed – both at the scene and in the days that followed.
“During the investigation it turned out that the RUC service [Royal Ulster Constabulary] The officers were guilty of inappropriate omissions, and these lapses occurred both at the scene and during the preliminary investigation,” the report said.
The investigation concluded that some investigative errors were negligent and others were intentional.
The 290-page report was the result of an investigation that cost around £33 million.