Murdered: Arlene Arkinson
West Tyrone Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty has described as, beyond belief, claims made by the former senior Detective Eric Anderson that he had destroyed the case notes into disappearance of the Castlederg teenager Arlene Arkinson because the RUC had nowhere to store them.
Arlene disappeared after a night out in Bundoran. An inquest into her death is taking place in Belfast even though her body has never been found.
The MP said today: “The claim made by former Chief Supt RUC Detective Eric Anderson at Friday’s hearing of the inquest into the disappearance of Castlederg teenager Arlene Arkinson that he had burnt and shredded the case notes because the RUC had nowhere to store them is beyond belief.
“The claims are particularly astounding given that this is the same Eric Anderson who, back in 2005, was secretly filmed in a UTV investigative documentary soliciting for money in return for an interview and access to crucial investigation documents he had stolen.
“He defended possessing the stolen documents at the time stating that the only way to keep yourself abreast is to keep the papers. His evidence on Friday that he subsequently destroyed the case notes represents a major contradiction from what he said at that time.
“It is astonishing that in the case of a 15-year-old schoolgirl who disappeared, presumed murdered by a serial killer, a senior detective burnt and shredded case notes.
“The claim there was no provision for the RUC to store case notes is
also incredibly alarming.
“It is all the more incredible coming just weeks after a deputy chief
constable of the PSNI appeared in the media pictured in front of
millions of legacy files.
“This raises serious questions about which case notes for legacy cases
are still in existence and what has been destroyed.
“I have no doubt that many families who lost loved ones during the
conflict will be very concerned about these claims.
“Sinn Fein will be raising these concerns at the Policing Board as a
matter of urgency.”