Austen Morgan publishes opinion piece on McCloskey J's recent decision to withdraw from the high-profile legal challenge against Northern Ireland’s Police Ombudsman in respect to the murder of 6 men watching the Football World Cup in a Loughinisland bar in 1994.

After dismissing an application to recluse himself for apparent bias, he then made what he himself described as an 'unprecedented ruling'; McCloskey J said:

'Following anxious reflection, my evaluative conclusion is that our legal system will not have served the families well if they are not given the opportunity of having this case heard by a differently constituted court...'

Austen poses the key questions that arise from this decision.

To read the opinion piece, click here.