A former police officer who was at the scene the night Robert Hamill was beaten to death in a sectarian attack has admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
Robert Cecil Atkinson (70) admitted the charge on Thursday.
Mr Hamill (25) was attacked on April 27 1997 in Portadown town centre. He suffered head injuries and died later in hospital.
It was alleged that four police officers were positioned in a vehicle near the scene of the attack, but did not intervene. Mr Atkinson was one of the officers.
Following Atkinson’s admission, prosecuting KC Toby Hedworth told Judge Patrick Lynch KC the PPS was “offering no further evidence” against the defendant’s wife Eleanor Atkinson (70) or Kenneth Hanvey (72) of Derryanvil Road, Portadown. Accordingly, the judge recorded not guilty verdicts.
Freeing the pensioner on bail, Judge Lynch adjourned the case for plea and sentence to June 7.