By Barry McCaffrey, Irish News
07/11/08

Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde was forced to publicly apologise yesterday after admitting police had failed to disclose that a building firm with links to an alleged UVF leader was paid almost £5 million by the PSNI.

Sir Hugh confirmed to the Policing Board that the force had provided incorrect figures when asked to detail how much money had been paid out for work by two building firms, including one owned by Richard Jameson.

In January 2000, the alleged mid-Ulster UVF leader was shot dead by the LVF near his home in Portadown.

The murder sparked a bitter loyalist feud that claimed the lives of Protestant teenagers David McIlwaine and Andrew Robb less than a month later.

It later emerged that Jameson’s building company had been awarded a series of contracts to work on police stations, prisons and British army bases.

Concern was also expressed over claims that the firm received the lucrative contracts despite twice failing police vetting procedures.

In September 2007 police said they had paid £320,000 to two Co Armagh building firms for work carried out on various police stations over a six-year period.

However, Sir Hugh yesterday admitted that the figures supplied had been wrong and £5m had actually been paid out

It is understood Jameson’s firm received the large majority of this money.

“The initial information sent in response to the question said that £320,000 had been paid to the two particular firms,” he said.

“The correct figure was £5 million. What happened is that one of the firms’ costs were forwarded, rather than both.

“I apologise for any difficulty caused by that initially, incorrect answer.”

Responding to concerns that the firm owned by Mr Jameson, pictured, was granted police contracts despite failing police vetting procedures on at least two occasions, the chief constable said: “I am looking at a full review of the policy around how we vet firms bidding for business in Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“I can’t say yet what the change of policy will mean.

“What it does mean is that I am going to look at it and I am taking personal interest in it.”

Paul McIlwaine, who attended yesterday’s Policing Board meeting and spoke with the chief constable, expressed “astonishment” at the situation.

“Hugh Orde promised the Policing Board a full inquiry into how this firm was paid £5m while one of its owners was suspected of being a leading member of a paramilitary organisation,” he said.

“He promised a full review of how this company was awarded police contracts despite twice failing police vetting.”