THERE are fears up to six previous Police Ombudsman reports with findings of collusion could be challenged following a court judgment this week.
A judge ruled on Thursday that Dr Michael Maguire went beyond his statutory powers in reaching conclusions on the Loughinisland massacre, sparking calls for his resignation.
Two retired policemen had challenged a report last June over the 1994 murder of six people at the Heights Bar by the UVF.
The ombudsman concluded that "collusion was a significant feature of the Loughinisland murders", citing the involvement of police informers and failures in the investigation.
However, Mr Justice McCloskey ruled that none of the police officers subjected to "destructive and withering condemnations" of colluding with UVF members had the protection of due process.
DUP MP Ian Paisley said while it would it would be up to the subjects of previous ombudsman reports to bring similar legal challenges, he would support any retired officers who took action.
While the six reports are currently outside the statute of limitations for judicial reviews, given the exceptional circumstances it is thought they could be challenged.
Mr Paisley also said he has called on secretary of state James Brokenshire "to open an investigation into all previous ombudsman reports from the first until now where collusion was alleged and move to set false accusations aside".
The North Antrim MP said: "I've written asking for a desktop inquiry into each of the reports that allege collusion and to potentially crush them all."
Among the reports is the 2007 Operation Ballast findings by Nuala O'Loan into the activities of the Mount Vernon UVF and the killing of Raymond McCord junior.
The former ombudsman spent three and a half years investigating the 1997 murder of the 22-year-old and a series of related killings and concluded there was collusion.
Then Prime Minister Tony Blair apologised to the family of Mr McCord.
Raymond McCord senior last night said Ian Paisley's response does not take into account that the findings were accepted by the British government.
"All the evidence of collusion in my son's case is there, it has been well documented, there is no other name for it other than collusion and instead of seeking justice for victims, Ian Paisley is seeking to overturn important rulings and investigations."
Sinn Féin policing spokesman Gerry Kelly last night also defended Dr Maguire, saying his work "is crucial to current policing and indeed in legacy cases."
He said the Loughinisland judgment should be appealed "as it has possibly catastrophic implications for the setting up of the investigative process of the Historic Investigations Unit".
