A coroner has said that an inquest into the death of a teenager after a Belfast bomb attack 50 years ago will not conclude before the date set by new legacy laws.
From Wednesday, all civil litigation and inquests into Troubles deaths will be stopped under legislation introduced by the UK Government.
John Moran was 19 when he was seriously injured in a car bomb at Kelly’s Bar on the Springfield Road on May 13 1972, and died of his injuries 10 days later.
Coroner Maria Dougan said on Tuesday that she had attempted to conclude matters into Mr Moran’s death by the May 1 deadline, but said that “very sadly” this had not been possible.
The coroner said that rumours and speculation had circulated about the car bomb for almost 52 years.
“The security forces’ account was that this was an IRA bomb which had exploded prematurely and was effectively an ‘IRA own goal’,” she said.
“The next of kin and some in the wider community hold the view that this was a car bomb placed by loyalist paramilitaries, which was followed by a loyalist gun attack from gunmen in Springmartin Estate and thereby a planned loyalist attack.”
She said she had considered making “partial findings”, but found that there was further evidence she needed to consider before giving a ruling into the circumstances of Mr Moran’s death.
“Without that legislation, this inquest would follow the usual path of obtaining all potentially relevant documentation and evidence including possible expert evidence, witness statements, followed by further substantive hearings whenever that point is reached.”
She outlined evidence that had been heard on how the car bomb detonated and how that may hint at who was responsible for the explosion.
Though the inquest heard expert evidence that the IRA “was clearly capable of possessing car bombs containing electrical timed mechanisms” and “it would appear that the UVF was not”, a footnote in a report into bombings in Dublin in 1972 and 1973 cited the use of “alarm-timed devices” by loyalist paramilitaries.
The coroner said she believed this required her to review more documents related to issues “central” to the inquest.
“If I was not bound by the deadline of May 1 2024, I would have obtained that information. Owing to the deadline imposed by the 2023 Act, I am unable to obtain that information.
“I would be very uncomfortable about attempting to reach findings on the detonation and attribution issue, which is of importance in the inquest, when there is information I would like to see relevant to it, which I have not seen.”
She acknowledged that this would be “profoundly disappointing” for Mr Moran’s family, and passed on her condolences.