Query over leaving date for HET chief

Policing board members were informed on Friday that a new leaderhsip team will be put in place by September 28 when Dave Cox steps down.

However the BBC reported that as of Saturday night, PSNI sources were insisting that was not the case.

This morning, Sunday, the PSNI was looking into the matter.

The conflicting reports come after PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott answered questions during what was described as a heated meeting with policing board members on Thursday.

Despite damning criticism, published in July, of the way the HET handled its enquiries into killings by the British Army, Matt Baggott decided Mr Cox should stay in his role until December.

However, on Friday afternoon board members received an email confirming the HET’s head would go by the end of the month.

DUP Board member Jonathan Craig told the News Letter he felt it was a step that needed to be taken “to restore confidence in the HET process for the families”.

He added that he would like to put on record his gratitude to Mr Cox and his team members.

“I have a huge amount of respect for Dave Cox and the work he has put into this organisation,” he said.

“Not all families were ever going to be satisfied with the process. It is a very difficult process they (the HET) are carrying out.”

He said there is a “silent group” who have been satisfied with the work carried out by the HET.

“We have to be careful about an imbalance, about the way we react to this,” he said.