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Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. PSNI threat warning
2. Jim Donegan murder alert
A Police Ombudsman investigation revealed that the PSNI missed crucial opportunities to identify a dissident republican threat against Jim Donegan, who was tragically murdered in December 2018. The report highlighted that the police had received intelligence about a potential attack on a man involved in illegal drug sales, who regularly picked up his son from a school on the Glen Road. However, the police failed to connect Donegan to the threat, depriving him of the chance to take preventative measures. The Ombudsman recommended additional training for intelligence officers to prevent similar oversights in the future. The PSNI is urging anyone with information on Donegan’s murder to come forward.
1. PSNI security lapses
2. Warning signs overlooked by PSNI
Police Missed Opportunities to Identify Threatened Man Before Murder
Police in Northern Ireland missed crucial opportunities to identify a man who was under a dissident republican threat six months before he was tragically murdered in December 2018. The victim, Jim Donegan, was shot dead by a lone gunman while waiting to collect his son outside a school on the Glen Road in west Belfast.
Ombudsman Investigation Reveals Lack of Action
An investigation by Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson found that on June 7 of that year, the police had received intelligence about dissident republicans planning to target an unnamed man suspected of involvement in illegal drug activities. The intelligence provided details about the man’s car and his routine of picking up his son from a school on the Glen Road, but no specific date for the attack was mentioned.
Family Expresses Concern over Lack of Warning
Members of Jim Donegan’s family told investigators that had he been informed about the threat, he would have altered his routine to ensure his son’s safety. Unfortunately, the police failed to link Mr. Donegan to the threat and did not warn him about the danger he faced, depriving him of the chance to take preventative measures.
Failure to Connect the Dots
Despite making inquiries to identify the threatened man and his vehicle, the police were unable to link Mr. Donegan to the threat. One of the reasons cited was the failure to connect him to a car mentioned in the threat message, which was registered under his wife’s name at the time.
Missed Opportunities and Tragic Outcome
The investigation revealed that Mr. Donegan had been the subject of previous threats from dissident republicans, but the police did not make the necessary connections to warn him about the imminent danger. Five weeks after the threat was received, Mr. Donegan purchased a Porsche, which he was in at the time of his murder.
Lessons Learned and Calls for Information
Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson commended the PSNI for accepting her recommendations for additional training for intelligence officers to prevent such oversights in the future. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck urged anyone with information about the murder to come forward, emphasizing the importance of solving this cold-blooded execution that has left a family devastated.
As the investigation continues, the community remains hopeful that justice will be served for Jim Donegan and his loved ones.
