Counting the
blackthorn ·
sticks in Derry.
from MARY HOLLAND: Belfast, 7 November
ON WHAT is virtuallv ,the eve
of bis depanture from ·Northern
Ireland, Si,r Ar-thur Young,
Inspector Genera~ of ,t,he Royal
Uh;ler Cons+a,bulary, bas set the
cat amon.g the pigeon·s with his
revelations a.bout the inqui,ry into
the dea,th of Samuel Devenney
in Derry lasit year.
Sir Arthur ~poke t,hi.s week of a
· conspiracy of ,ilence' among
senio.r ,PDbce officers lo con~eaJ lhe
identity of eight members of the .
RUC who en.tered Mr Devenney's
home on the night of 19 Aipr,il last
yca.r and committed· wi,lfol assault'
on him and his family. Sir Art.hur
saici that .if cha~'ges were to be
brought a.gaim,I police involved
they would be for causing gr.i evous
bodil,y ha.rm.
Certain officers had been named
a.s being present in the Devenney
hou1e at the time of t,~e assault.
and these were 'exculpated beyond
a shadow of doubt.' It is nol known
whether the police who were in­
vohcd in the a&sau.lt are st-i:J.I serv­
ing in the RUC.
Dangerous indignation
Since Sir Arthur's sta-tement the
air has been thick wi,th accusation,
recrimination and self-jus,titkation.
The Prime Min,i ster has assoc,ia,ted
himself with Sir Ar,thur·s remarks,
but other prominent unionists from
Mr Brian Fa,u]kner, the Min­
ister of Development, down have
seemed more concerned with justi­
fy.fog the whole -in idcnt as part of
Jhc g n •ral pa,l1tcm of last year's
(l,oubl• .
ln ,the Bogside, reactions range
from deep cynicism abou,t the Gov­
ernment and the police to a danger­
ous indignation. T11e MP for
Foyle, Mr John Hume, in a swinge­
ing att.ack a.t Stormont, has raised
some of ,lhe glaring questions left
unanswered by Sir Arthur's account
of the report. The report itself has
not been published.
For example: one of lhe police­
men in the Devenney house carried
a black•thorn stick. This is a mark
of seniority in ,the R UC. 1n Derry
on tire night of 19 April, there were
only l l police officers entitled to
carry such a stick. These officers
refused to take pal't in any identity
parade and are presumably part of
the oonspiracy of silence of which
Sir Arthur speaks.
lt has been est a bl,i shed that the
officer presen,l in the Devenney
house acted on one occa;,ion as a
restra,ining influence on his men,
but it has not been possible to
e&tablish his indentity. Again, one
of Mr Devenney's daughters recog­
nised a member of the local police
force among ,those present and later
saw him being treated at the local
hospital.
Other policemen have been
named in a Belfast left-wing news-
paper. These .must be the men
exculpa.ted beyond a shadow of
doubt.' But as the detai'1s o,f thcir
blamelessne5,<; have not been pub­
lished, jt is difficult .for the ,re&iden.ts
o,f the Bogside .to judge them.
11here have been demands that
the 11 blackthorn~arrying officers
present in Derry that ni,ght should
be dismissed or disciplined on the
ground tha.t if there is to be no in­
dividtial responsibility then joint
respon&ibility should a,pply.
As always here, the need to
paci,fy the a,nger of one section of
the community •ha.s to be ba.lanced
against the danger of arousing the
other. It is hoped that the report
will placate Catholics and that the
fact that no action is to be ta·k en
against the po·lice wiU commend
•itself to Protestants.
Sir Arthur's aim i11 making a
statement about the inquiry at a,IJ
must have been to try to ensure
that there will be no backsliding by
the RUC after his departure from
Northern Ireland later this month.
The Civil Rights Association ,has
po.inted out in this connection that
it is a little unfortunate that his
successor, M,r Graham Shillington.
S'hould be a senior police officer
who before ~he inquiry denied 11hat
there was any evidence of police
brutality in Derry on the weekend
w.hen Mr Devenney and his family
were assaulted.
This case has been for too long
a ·ymboJ oC Catbolic mistrust of
tht police for tl\e inquiry to be
all wed to pa with a minimum of
i11con,ve1fience to the authorities. In
the comparative calm which pre­
vans in the Bogsi<le, it will not
cause riots. but it will be put away
in the folk memory to be pulled
out and dusted whenever the need
arises.
Moreover, although Derry is
fairly peaceabt'y disposed at the
mement, the same is not trne of
Belfast. There is a bubbling stew
of Catholic resentment which has
main.JI- to do with the administra­
tion ~f law and order as it applies
to Catholics--by the Government,
the security forces. the courts
th~mselves.
There is indignation at General
Sir Ian Freeland's ·a ccusation that
last weekend's rioting was the
wor·k of I•R A ..,inmen from the
South. The extremists were there
-they usually are-and the
national fee.Jings of the peo.ple are
there to be ex1>loited.
But the extremists cannot do it
bv themselves. A,nyone who has
covered the situation here from
the beginning knows ~.hat you _g~t
successive days and 111ghts of not­
ing only when the community as
a whole feels sullen, hard done by,
and at the very ]east willing to give
tacit support to the boys who throw
the stones.
 H::lfp' ~SHIELDS l
A'HllSS
THE ULSTER BULLIES·
II they will be brought' to
A CONSPIRACY of silence '' is
shielding policemen guilty of beat­
justice. ..
Since the attack the
Ulster Goni:nment have
ing up a man who died later, Ulster's declared an amnesty for
police chief said last night. those involved in riot
offences.
Sir Arthur Young made the claim Sir Arthur, the Clhief
Constable, said last night:
after a Scotland Yard probe found that • nm su.Us.fied tb. 1, Qmclng
Roy~l Ulster Co n s a t;:, u l a r y officers tb e omcc,·s , .tlo possess
I
assaulted ~3-yeat'-old Samu~1 Devenn y.
Deh. Cltl'et' S0ipt. Kenneth Drury or he anl
h gulft,'y knowll!cige there
· · 1:unspfracv of silence
motivated by an improper
a.Jl>nounta:ed ~he re u'lt 01 hi h,- mou th b.1qulry sense of loyalty
ye lercl y.
Me · d he b!lcl. not. been
able t-0 ldenfil.v the police­
tnen: ho bit fnt.b.lll' oc nine
Mr. .Devenne.. tbr t c:1eD,1­
bers of hW mll,r nud tll'o
ot her m n.
It iz now unll'kely that
 8

ve_
r-up
'

A SIX-MONTH probe by
GUILTY POLICE
a S co t 1a n d Yard
chief failed to identify
police who beat uu a
Londonderry fa m.i (y ­ IN ULSTER
including two girls ­
during last year's riots, it
was disclosed yesterday.
DEATH PROBE
Samuel Devenny, the
father, had a heart attack
and later died after the raid
'SHIELDED
on his home by men of the
Royal Ulster Constabulary.
But when Chief Superinten­
BY CONSPIRACY
dent Kenneth Drury began his
inquiries he came up against a
"con,pira~y of si:ence" among
po:ice who cou:d identify the
OF SILENCE'
cujpl'its.
, 'l'hc.v were mot!val.ed " bv a
m: con ~elved G n cl Improper
.se.ns~ of lo nl~Y to th eir guilty
com1acle ." Uls~er nollce chief,
~ Staff Reporter
-SJ1· A r L lJ u I' Y o u n !: ::aid C7n,,ho .
· ye ·terd11y.
.. Th e poHoe concerned have
n ot ntlnmLed either i(1e:ir guilt S ir Arthur said the forcible
or Involvem ent.. nor hJlS nl'lel'e cn~ry wa brou ght about after
p1:1m 11 nty evidence for th com in g a 11 umb01· o( young rioters flee­
elLh er ra m mem»ei•s o.f the Ing from the police were seen
force 0 1· from ~he publ~c wh ich enterI.n:- the house.
wonlcl . erve to establish th eir
id.en blty." ·' UnforL11na t,e!y no one was
a~m·ehencled since the offenders
climbed the :;. rd wall a t the
NOT PUBLIC 1•e.l\ 1· and eBCAJ>Cd by way of
Sir Arthur was giving the a(IJolnlng hOuses.
fln::lin.g.; of Superintendent " The o c c u p a n t s of the
Devenny house. pu~ U!) 11 :;Lrong
D:·ury's
his request.
inquiry.
But Ille Yard man's
made at

Z36-»11-l!'e ,·eport will not be

resistance. This, however. does
not excuse th e wilfltl assaults
wll1ch U1e police undoU))tcdly
made."
I
mn dc nnbU c. "That would be
ont1•rfr ' to Practice ~11d
11re(• tl nt." said an R.-0.c.
s11ok ma n,

'HARASSING'
T he 1folfce p nl'~y broke jJ1to
No more th a n eight police
'1,h$1 Devenuy llOme io William
were involved . .. It is clear th at
~lreet In pm·s ult t,r I.rouble­
not a ll of them took part in th e
. m ker d ring rioLs 011 Ui'e n l~b l.
assaults c·n the unfortunate
. O! April 10, 1969. perso ns." said Sir Arthur.
'l:'M do~e1.s, escaped. " T h ui should be viewed in
The
po-Uce macte " wJHul a auJts " 1•elallon to the Jact th at 500
on 43- ear-old Mr. D evenny, 1iolloe were engaged in London­
lH~ 21-year-old so11. Harry, del'ry ~l-111~ day imdc r provocative
d ugn ters An n, 10, O H1crlne, a nd hara sh:1g (Jond·ILions."
).'1. nd 1,wo other peoJjle in Lhe 'l'he police were ·· grievously
llo11~e - F tcderJck Budd ond provoked " d urlng the rioting,
PaLr.lok Ha ru ln. often wit hout adequate rest.
Mr. Devenny, father of nine, refreshment or relief. " Th ere
died three months later. The were many examples of exem­
inquest verdict was natural plary devotion to duty and
causes. personal gallan t ry."
 Ruc beitr\iP
1

man who died

'
By our Belfast Correspondent
Hoyal Ulster Constabulary "No more than eight mem­
officers beat up a London­ bers of the force entered the
derry man who later died Devenney home and it is clear ,
an inquiry found ·yesterday. that all of them took part in the
But the culprits cannot be assaults. This should be viewed
in relation to · the fact that 500
identified because of a " con­ police were engaged in London­
spiracy of silence " in the derry that day under · provoca­
force. tion and harassing conditions.
Mr Samuel Devenney, aged " The police concerned have
43, and other members of his not admitted either their guilt
family were assaulted in their or involvement, nor has there
home during riots in April last been any evidence either from
year, says the report by Chief members of the force or the
Superintendent Kenneth Drury, public which would serve to
of Scotland Yard. establish their idcntil,r."
Sir Arthur Young, Chief Con­ Mr ,ToJ1ri Hume, JVU~ !or the
stable of the RUC. says in a Falls Division Q( Londondo1:ry,
statement on th e findings that said : " l welcome U1c Ch.ier
the Devenney family were the Constable's forthri ght condem- 1
victims of a " wilful assault" by nation of this conspiracy of
eight members of the RUC, silence to protect . the guilty
which was not excused because men. Their silence will do !'
the family put up " strong resis­ nothing :to enhance the repu­
tance" to the entry of the police tation of the RUC."
in search of rioters .
Mr Devenney was admitted
to hospital after the assault. He
died at his home two months
later and at the inquest a doc­
tot· said death was due to a
coronary thrombosis.
Sir Arthur says: "The
police concerned have not
admitted either their guilt or
involvement, nor has there been
any evidence forthcom~ng,
either from members of the
force or from the public, which
would establish theit· ,identity. II
" I am satisfied that among
those officers who possess this
guilty knowledge there is a con­

I
spiracy of silence motivated by I
a misconceived and improper
sense of loyalty to their guilty
comrades."

Escaped
Sir Arthur adds : "The forc­
ible entry and the attack by the
police on the Devenney home
was brought about by the fact
that a number of young men,
who had taken part in the riots
I
and were fleeing from the
police, were seen to enter the I
house."
No one was apprehended, he
I
said, because the offenders
escaped through the yard at the
rear.
: FI C ER S in the Royal Ulster
Constabulary "wilfully assaulted"
I B:; EDWARD MclLWAINE I. beenopln.J.on that the. a.pnro·
pyia,,1/e qliQil-ge,s -woulq l:'la.ve
f-0!.· 0H'en1;:es ~
eausLng gr1evoua ,b o d-11 y
ondonderry father of nine children They were seen to enter the hlll'm.''
house. Sir Al'thur sa1d that 500
later died, the chief constable, Sir " The occupant5 of the police w er e engaged 1n
Devenney house put up a Londonderry t h a rt day
1ur Young, said yesterday. strong resistance to the under provocative and
entry of the police .in pur­ harassing conditions.
; the officers have not been identified­ suit of these rioters," said Du.ring the two _days of
because of a "conspiracy the Chief Constable. rioting · the .constabulary
of silence'' between some " 'l'h.ls, b.o"".~Y!r does not suffered 214 casualties.
police officers in the excuse 't he wi.u-w1 ·tilla11.lts, .Mr. Devenney's widow,
w:h1Gb ',the police P~llis. who lives with

city. undoubOOdly made upon their nlntl ahlldt·e», aged

Sa.m'lt.,el n,venney, 43, a.n4 Samuel D avenney ~ son from ~01.11: to twen tyatwo,

ot11er .members of h 1s Barrs1 .. ~nd. h.ls ~a.ugh~e1:s Jn I\ new . house In Cable­

;amUy: were assaulted h1 An1l a-nd Oii~lrerlil_e." street, Londonderry, said

thetr l1on1e du.l'.lug ,1·le1!s Jn Slr Atthur said no more last hight:

Lo.ndoJide1•iJ.7 on A:p1·u, 19 thil,n eight J)OJ lcemen " It has now been estab­

1060.
Mr. DeyenliQY died on
July l7, ,l9'69. At his in­
quest on Deeemtbel' 15, his
death was certified as due
to " coronary atheroma
and old thrombosis " and
a. death from natural
caures was returned.
' en~Jted the h,ouse and not lished beyond . a ·shadow
i;1yll or thelri ·wok part in of doubt that members of
the Royal Ulster Constabu­
tlle aesaul ts. lary were responsible.
Sir Arthtl1' said that no
police officer had a.dmirtted
he entered the h o u s e. Claim
There had also been no " It is now up to the
evidence from other officers Northern Ireland Govern­

-
Fled
Sir AT t lntr made his
statement mt:er sliudylog a
l~thy ,'l.•epO):t on an il.1­
QUil\f foto the case by Chief
.Supei.,IJ1~endent Kenn.el;b
Dtury, oil• the, Metropolitan
PolJ<fe. , orimin(tl proceedings had
In h1s stntement Sir
A1ttb.ur .satd the police
aU.a/!k OEII llbe DeVP.1!108~'
home came after youn_g
m-eu who had bepl1 Jn llhe
1•Jots fled from W1'tl pollce.
or the public. ment to take action."
" I am satisfied t h a t Mr.s. D e v e h n e y has
!l>fflQllg th..ose officers wtb o ,:1.lrea·dy Jo(lge:d n- claim !or
V,!),S$cS'"s thIs g'ul-!t'.v. lj.11ow­ £20~oob da ,nages for the
lodge t here is a conimiimof dea uh .of h e.i· b.tisbe.nd.
·9 ii$~ mot}Vitleil bf a., Mr. John ;B:u1n,.e, ,M:P !or
misconG"onraed a'n(l Imp.roper Fciyle, Sald (;he "oonspll'acy
sOJ1se of lor:i.lly to their ot streul?e" of tUe gull~'
·R"tlllty oom.ra1les." men woUld harm the Ul$be'r
·. Sir A r t h u r said 1f pollce.
" rt will hrlng dlse~edU
been pos.sible the _cha.rges on e\•ei·y Ot}e of, hha.1t cQI- ...
before the court would leagues !011 while tke:V
have bem a matter for the renmjn unnaJ)led IJle floger
Crown to decide. of uspicion pojufs to
"Nevertheless, I consider every po 11 c em an In
IJha,t I s.11outld expi:ess my. U11!lo~Dl.' 1
 CollSP'fracy~''Ot

silence veils

police attack i
A CONSPIRACY of silence surrounded those Royal Ulster Con- I
stabulary officers responsible for beating up father of nine Samuel I
Devenney who J.ater died, said Sir Arthur Young yesterday. ·,
~l Art~dur. L<> ~on ffiCb:ld S?..,n,d­ 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
st"" e, ~1 p0 1!Ce o cens ..., ·
at'taoked Mr. Devenne.v andi mem­
bers of bis (amiLv In ~heir Derry
home liast year.
But the guilty officer& had not
come for .w ard and no o.t:h~
menilbers o.f: the force or t!he 1>Ub· 1
lie had offered any evidence. be I
said.
,-&ut "'firo.m time to time tibere j
has been oublk reference and
iMuendb indicatin11 the identit y
af ~be Police su&Peeted of bcin11
resoo11sible.
·"All· these accusations ha,ve
been t'horou~ly checked with
the result that the varioll8 indlivi­
dual officers relferred to have
been exculpated ,beyond a shadow
of dou1,t."
The lncid>en,t happened in April
last year during riots. The police
broke d'own the doof of the De­
venney home while chasing a
g·roup of youths.
· "Occupants of the Devenney
House put up a strong resistance
to the en-try of the p_olice in pur­
suit of these doters," said Sir
Arthur.
"This however, does not excuse
vhe wilful -assaults which the
police undoubtedly made upon
Samuel Devenney, his son Harry,
his daughters Ann and Catherine,
Prederick Budd and Patrick Har­
kin."
1 The 236--page rep0rt into the
Devenney casi; by Chief Supt. ,
: Kenneth Dr ury, of Scotland Yard.
will not be made public.
"rt would be contl'ary to prac­
tice and precedent to publish it."
I
said i:in RUC spokesman.
 BROOKLYN
Telephone :
KNOCK ROAD
BELFAST 650301
8 ELFAST
NORTHERN IRELAND BT5 6LE

With the compliments of the

Chief Constable

The statement will be released

to the News Media at 3p.m on
the 4th November 1970

4th November 1970

C• I~

 Ulster Constabulary

For Police ·use Only

H.Q. Ref. SB2/1/104(115) Force Order No. 272/70 Date

Oiv. Ref. 19 Part 111

Report of Tietective Chief Sup2:cintendent Il:cury

of the I.Iet.ro:politan Police

State1-:lent of the Chief Constable,

Si:r Arthur Young, C.I..I. G., C.V. 0 ..

(l) The serious civil disturbances which took :place i..11 Londonderry

on 19th/20th .l:..:;;rril, 1969, subjectod the !loyal Ulster Constabula:riJ

to ~exsistent 2J.1d extrer.1e nets of violence from which they suffered

nmiwrous and serious personal injuries. The police were .;:cievously

:9Tovoked during j_)2'olonged and exacting circumstances, often vii thout

adoqu:rte rest, refreshment or :celief. There uere many examples of

cxem9lm..J" uevotion to duty and personal gallantry. J)urin5 these

two d.3Yst rioting_the Comd;abulary suffered 214 cc:sualtiesi

3 Ilist::cict Inspectors, 9 Head Cons-cables, 34 Ser 6 eants 'and 168

Constables.

(2) U:ncie:c this continuous stress the command and administration

of the operations became diso'.'!:';-anised in t:ic attei;ipt by the J.)Olice

to t.mclcrtalrn tasks for which their resources were inadequate and

their ort'a!lisation, in my opinion, unsuited.

(3) In retrospect, one sees too often a picture of isolated police

doing their best as individt,c.ls and u::iing commendable personal

initiative in situations whi.. ch, if short of the chnotic, were

clearly beyond the control of an over811 oci.imnander~

(4) ll'he forcible entry and the att.:.;c~( by the police upon the Ilevcnr1y
hone w2s brouf:s].1t about by the fact that a nw:i.ber of you,.'1g !non, uho 1
had taken part in the riots and uho y;e:::.'e fleeing from :i.rm:1eclL1tc police
pursuit, uere seen by the ;::iolice to enter the house. Unfortunately,
no one ,rns a:::,prehended since the offenders climbed the ya1.·d wall cit
the rear a.'1d escaped by way of adjoining houses.

/(5)
,.

2.

~5) '=:he occu:;;iants of th:::; Ilevenny hour.:10 :put up 2, s·~rong resistance

to tho crnt:cy of the polic0 in 1,ur,mi t of t:;1es,:.:: T:i oto1.·s. Tl1is, ho~;revcffi
docs not excuse the wilful assaul·cs uhich the police rn1c1oubtedly :n.aclo
upon S2Jnuol Devo1111y, ~1is son Rn::try and his daughters Ann 2nd Co.tho:ci..:c1e,
Fred.e::ciolc Budd and Pc1trick Ha:rkin 1 who uore 2.lso present in tho hOU3Gu

(6) }To n1ore tl1an oig"l1t r]on1bors of 'Clio ::?o:.:'cG cnto1."'0tl -~110 D0vcn11;y l1or1i0;1
:md it is cle 2r that not all of the:;;1 took p1:.rr:t in the as snult s on tho
t.mfortunato po:rsons. '.I'his should 00 vie·,·rod in rolntion to tJ,.o fact
that 500 :police i:roro cmga:3Dd in Londonoorry theit do.y rn1dcr :provocative
and ho.rassing conditions to nhich I h:;:ve alreo.dy roforrodo

(7) Tho police concerned lwvo not c:,d:-nittod oithor thoir guilt or
involvement nor }:;:is thore boon a.n.y cvid1:;nce forthcor:ii.ng oithoT fJ~o::1
r:10:mbo:cs of the Fo:cce OT from tl1e lJUrJlic which rrould se:i:·vo to o s·~ablis'n
their identity. I o.in sstisfied t~:..:it 2.ffion:_;·st those offie;ors? nho
possess this guilty lmo;.,rlod..;'Di tho:::-o is a cons:9irc:.cy of silence
r:10tivo.tGd by a micconcoived 211d impro:9or sense of loyalty to thoir
.suilty com:ro.dos~

(8) Pnlllic :rofcronce has boo:1 me.de to unidontifioo officers? one '
of whom W8.S s2.id. to be co.Tryinc; a blackthorn stick, and to c.nothori
oolioved to be loccl, being involvGd in the ass2ults. Th::::co is ·clear
ovic.onco th:::t, notniths·tc.ndinc the: fc.ct th:1t such indi··:riduc,ls uoro
in tho house, nei thor toolc pa:i:'t in the attacks r;12d.e U)On tho ir.u:i.o. te s ..
Evidor,,co of this is rmp~,liod by moabors of the Dovo11ny far:1i ly -chomsolvos.
ri'he:i~O is tostirnony tl,ct tll3 officer uith tho bL~,,cl:tho:cr.t stick :9:covcmtocl
::,n nssault ·00L1c; :r,c.d.e u:;;ion IIorry J)ovo1my 'oy ono of -'~~10 Consts.blos. :Both
those officers ro~.:ain U....'1idcntifioc1o

(9) .il most so2:cchiEZ invosti 0·Qtion by JJotoctivo Cl1iof Su:p::crintc:mdont

Ilrury, cssi.stcd by Dotoctivo Sergo:mt Color:;an 1 h[:S fcilod to produce
that ovidonco of idcntificat ion of any of tho individunl o:ffico:cs con­
corned uhich 1 in the abser:1ce · of the offoct of the ,'.!:en.oral amnesty
e,ran°cod in l.by, 1969, would mnke tho institution of crir.J.innl :procoedings
possible. ('I'he .'.;<.::nornl wm1osty 6Tantod by the Govc::cY1Ii1-:rnt of Nort}10::cn
I:coL:md on Gth :::-.uy, 1969, p::cocludocl tho initiation of crinino.l :procood­
ii-1~3 aco.i11c:t 2n~r pGrson for an~r offcncG otl1cr tl1.an s&botnsro aI"isin(;~
out of civil disturb[S.'1Ces botrroon t}·wt <l2-'co and 5t}1 October, 1968.)
in ·cho future, tho:ro should bo 1jrir.1a facio cvidonce of t:i.10 gci.ilt of
of tl1oso officors it ·woulcl tl1on bo a m3.-ttor for co~1siO.oration GS to

(lO) If criminal l)rosocutions hc:d boon possible the cho.rgos bofo::co the
CoL,l't rroulcl havo boon a r;,ntto::c for t~10 lsw o:ffico:cs of the C:corm to
cJ.ccido c..:--1d. 11ot r:.1y :cospo1:..sibilit~yo :I0ve:rtl1closs, i:n vi ·.Jr! of tl10 r1idc­
SlJrcad :}.Jl1blic cor;1::1cnt rrl1icl1 l1Ds bcc11 2:1:.1Go I consido:c tl1.at I sl10L1.ld
O}:::~Jross ~:1y opinio::1 tl.:..at, hnvi11.g otuc1iacl tl1G o:x:tcn.3i vo 211cl cos:9lox
m.:;d::.cnl ovid.onco plc,cod bofoTo mo i ·cho eppro~)rii:.':to chE:-.:.'[;'OS rrould ho.ve
;),°)·en fo:c offoi-:ccs of cnusi11,'3' ~.cicvous boG.ily ~:.2:-cn.

(11) At tho Inquest hold on 15th Docombor, 1969, the death of So.muol
:Dovom1y on 17th July, 19G9, rr2.s cortifie:d as duo Jco Co::cono:ry Atho::cornc:
c:nd Olcl Th::cor,o.bosis, and o. vordict of donth from natu:rQl causes rrns
J:otu:c11cc1a

/ (12)
 J

3.

(l2) FTor.1 ti.1:10 to tine thoJ:·o l·,r:s boon ')Uolic :rofo:conco o.nc"c irn1uono.o
indico.ting tho identity of tllo :_:iolic0 su,s1x,ctod of 'Joing rcJsponsiolo.
lQl tl1or.;o occusntions l1avo Coon t}1orougl1ly choc}:ccl r.ri tl1 t}10 :ccsul t tl1at
"cho v3:rious individu2.l officors ~:,Jforrcd to huvc boor. c:~cul110.te:d boyond.
a shc.d.on of douot. Liicorrisc 7 rw,1otcs or.d hearsay h2.vc boc:1 chocl::cd.
'buolc to t:11uix· 11·1sub;:1tuntiEl <Ji:11t,·irio ~

(13) In the rrholo of ,;,y polico CJ:cpcrionco I ho.vo novor oi-,cou.."ltorod.

Cl mo~o studious or co1::::;irohonsivc onq_uiry ttnn tnc:t cclcicvoc_ by
let:. DrUJ:y. In e. ::co:port o::: no less tlxm 236 pages, su::_Jportod ·b:,r
statomor/cs of ovidcnco of r.10:ro t:hsn a t}1ousand fo°lios anCt ·o;-/ a mo.ssivG
colloction of plar.s, pl:otos 2nd official rocor6s 7 ho hGs loft no
2
l)ossi.bili ty of l)roof uncx~)loroc1. Ho has into::cvici:rod hund::cods of rri c­
11cssos: includin5 c.11 tl1oso .:rl10 17ishcd to gi vc l1i:i-1 i11fo:cw.2\tion nnd 110
1

1-:J ss th,m 123 indivic1unl l)olico o.:fficors who could. ~12.vo boon in
1)oszossion of mcto:cio.l fo.cts. 'I'hoso rrho hC!VO since L,ft tho Fo:;:,co o.nd. ·,
Yrl10 l1n,ro c~~1ig-_!:'c. tod ~ togGthor rri th scrno pri vatc 1)0l:'sons ~ 11oyr do!".J.icilocl
3.bI'O-s.d, l1avo boo11 into~viorrod citl10r by thG _L1raaric211 li\3Qcr~l 3t1roau
of I11vostig\~~tion o~ by n11 ngc·~1c~r of Il1tcr11ol i11 C3nado.. t:r. Drury
]1as s~uG.icd contc111)0:ro.rJ' iJ:Cc·~;s rciJorts nnd cx2r:1i:1.ocJ. ~11 tclov·ision
film covoro.go and 11:::s invosti:,·atod. i·ocordGd so1.md k1:pos. All r.ritEe:ssos,
incluc1in:,· tho occupants of tho :Oovcrnny homi2, rrho might lJOssibly 1wvo
idontifi0cl tho offenders h2vo boon givon the opiJort~nity to oxcunino
1)hotog-.co.phs but no }_)osHivo idontific3tion hos boon rocoivod.

(14) I o.;u urr: toful to lx. :D:cury for his diligent and su.sto.ino d offorts
lrom A:i:,ril to Octob-)r crnd ror his ::tchiovomcnt in I'l'Oc1L1cing such nn
o::-j10.ustivo J:oconstructi.on ond ono.lysi~J. I also C!XD:CCSS ·n~y g".L'ati tLl.dO
to tl:.0 Co:nmissioncr of the: I;: btroyoli to.n ·ooli'
-- C••
._. InOr~J'l"·:,·;°,,.-,,
1
... u- ... - - - 0 -'-c, -·''-'
''"' c,o·,•v-i·
..... ....
CC:S
of so senior an officer avcil&bla to nc ovor such en oxtcndod. poriod.

(15) I trust th::tt this serious misconduct on tho part of'~ small
nu;:,b·..JJ~ of monbors of tho ?ore::: ·.-rill bo considered in rolo.tion "co
c~ll tl1at t110 Forc3 2s a i;1holc l13S subsoq_uontl;:/· ncl1io\rod to bcco1no
:::: 11011-;:,,gt?,Tossivc, non-rotslio.tory police service :ccsolvocl to wil1
tho r;J spoct and con:fidcmco of ell mor.1bors of the community.

(16) I ho:90, too, thc.t the fact thc:t in futuro ::ill So:cgonnts snd
Consto.blos of the Force in uniforn i'rill woo.r idcnti ty mu:1orals uill
incro::~so the confidonco of tho lJUblic in the proper accounto.bili ty
of oo.ch individuc::l mombor of the Force.

J)i.st:cibution: All Chief Su:peri.ntGndents, SL1.porin tenden tG , Offic es ,

Sts.tions and Depa::'.'tmonts.

Ministry or Ifo,::.e Affni:r.-s.

Police Authority.

ULSTER. POLICE RAPPED F
'A CONSPIRACY OF SILENC.
E'
ULSTER police DID
beat up father of nine
Samuel Devenny dur­
ing the Derry riots in
April 1969,
But, Royal Ulster
Constabulary chief Sir
Arthur Young said yes­
terday, a " conspiracy of
silence " p re v e n t e d
detectives from identify­
ing the culprits.
Verdict
The conspiracy, said Sir
Arthur, was among police
officers who k n e w t h e
guilty men b u t w e r e
" motivated by a miscon­
ceived and improper sense
of loyalty to their com­
rades."
Sir Arthur's statement
yeste·rday f o 11 owed a
seven-month investigation
by Detective Chief Super-
!)AMUl:L l)tVE.NNY
assaults wh ich the police
undoubtedly made.
By ROGER SCOTT
" No more· than eight
members of the force en­
tered the Devenny home,
intendent Kenneth I:>rury and it is clear that not all
and Det ective Sergeant of them took part in the
George Coleman - both a ssault,"
from Scotland Yard-into
Mr Devenny's death. The Scotland Yard men
. interviewed hundreds of
An inquest recorded a witnesses, including police­
verdict of " death from men, and studied TV films
natural cause·s ."
and tape recordings.
His family had claimed FBI d et e c t iv e s in
the attack hastened his America, and Interpol
death. agents in Canada, inter­
The inquiry report said v i e we d other Ulster
that the assault on Mr policemen who had emi­
Devenny, his son, two grated after the incideat.
daughters and two neigh­
bours, came when police Pictures
saw rioters go into his
house.
But des pit e checking
Sir Arthur said: " The scores of photographs ot
occupants of the house put policemen, bhe Devenny
up a strong resistance to family has been unable to
the entry of the police in identify t'he guilty men,
pursuit of these rioters. the statement said. -·
"This, however, does
not excuse the w i I f u 1 Sill" Arthur added: "The
police concerned have not
admitted either their gullt
or involvement.
" I am - satisfied that
among those officers who
poosess this guilty know­
ledge, there is a con­
spiracy of s ilence."
Last night Mr Devenny's
widow, Phyllis. said she
was satisfied the Scotland
Yard men had done all
they could.
"I think it Is now Up to
the N o r t h e r n Ireland
Government to find the
guilty men," She added.
 J> / ~~ i,- G t:;.- R.A f!'t-7 5"/,1ho,
Police chief attack

'conspiracy ·9f silence'

. DAILY TELEGRAPH REPORTER

S IR A.RTHUR YOUNG, Chi~f Co?stable of Ulster,

said yesterday that he 1s satisfied that a con­
spiracy of silence exi ts among some members of his
force to conceal the names
. of. roe~1 ,who took
:·
part in
a " wilful assault" on the Devemiey household dur­
ing London~rry's Bogside riots in April, 1969. I
Mr Samuel Devenney, 43, ·- - - -·.
I,
a lorry driv~r and father. of
nine, was injured and his son,
two daughters and two visi·
tors were also attacked, when
eight police ·pursued rioters
into his home in William
Street, Bogside.
Mr Devenney .later had a

heart attack and, after a· spell

in hospital, died on July 7, 1969.

In a ta. u1en Sir Ar~ur

said he beli ved . His men 1s h,ps
were sealed hy a ' mi. con lvec,l
and Jn~prop~r sense of loyally
to th0ir uiUy c:onirades."
The statem nt, n llhe v of
Sir Arhhur's return to police
duties In London after .•cond·
me nt ~o reorga.n.ige th:~ · ~oyal
Ulster C nstabulary, followed a
confid~u.tial report on lll)e
lnc:jdent prepared hy Ghief Supt
Kenneth Dl'IH.V of Scotland Yard
·who bas conducted an in·
dependent investigahlon. ·
Not satisfie·d
Art earlier Inquiry was held by
enior Roya! 'Ulster officers but
Sir Arthur , as dissatisfied with
,hl-1,e ir findings.
Crhninal tiroceeding~ ar
1ul r.l out- even E the uilt
pol!oem n ar identified- by th
~mnest , " 1Woh wa& declar d b ,
tl1 Northem lreland GovE}rr,.•
ment.
f th inciden~ Sir rthur
~aid : "Th poli r.on erued
have not admitted h ir guilt or
'involvem nl nor hai; 1·hera b n
.in.v "icltrn ' forthcoming itn r
fr m ·m b r of th fore o
from th 1n1bl1c whicl:i w'oul
serve to establish their identity,
'rn Londo 1an'r al, th
500 m n of Lhe Ro~<al I ter
Con tabulary were subjected to
11 per I l nl and ·trern II of
violence'' and provpca liqn. Th
·command and 11 adminislratioi1 of
Ihe op 1•ati<:>n became disorgan•
i ad in Ihe II U 111P~ hy ttle poli e
,,n un!'lertake tasl<s for wl1kh
U1eir resources wer jnadequato
and their ortimiS:a tion, In ll\Y
or,inlon, unsuited.''
When the pr>licc ntel'Cd tl)
v nne h me th occupants
p11l' up ·tl'Ong r siatan : ' 1'1li
howevar, does · not excuse the
wilful as ·i,\11lls wllich tbe polic
11ndopbtedly made u1>011 Sam·u I
De,•enne , (llld the o hers:"
Mr Devenny's widow, Mrs
Phy.ms Devenny, said she was
satisfied that it hd now been
"esta1bli11ed beyond all shadow
of doU'bt that memibsrs of the
RU C were involvrd. It is now
up to th.e Northern . lre,~and
govern!ll'l.ent to take achon.
She would be discussini the
situatii:11'1
T -:...1 ---
•.with hi,r• · · -M- 1 P, Mr 1
·YJ- - - ·- - 1 '.'f o..J
'Wilful ~$'i'ii1fs'i
by Ulster police
Ro!fal Uli;ter ConS"tl\bllll.\l'Y officel'S
wiUullY ,lttaek,ed a Londonderry
father of nine <and his family
during 11lotlng in A,pril last year
anq there has since l>ecn a " con·
spli'acy of silence" over lhe
mat~t. Sjr Anhm \1'oung, RWC
Chief Constable, said y,esterda y.
ln, n statement on Lh.e flndin~s
of an official inquiry, h.e said it
had not been possible- to identify
the altaokers o( Mr. Samuel
Devenney, 48, who Inter died of
a co1·ont\l'Y thrombosis. Officers
who~knew theh· ld~nliLv- bad re·
nralrred silent out of .. a misc'on·
ceived and lmln·oper loynUy to
their guilty colleagues. Page 31