Tommy Crossan inquest expected to be heard at latter end of 2023

An inquest into the death of a murdered dissident republican is likely to take place towards the end of next year, a coroner has said.

Tommy Crossan, 43, a former leading Continuity IRA member, was shot dead in west Belfast in 2014.

Proceedings at Belfast Coroner’s Court were paused while a Police Ombudsman probe took place.

The watchdog had been asked by Mr Crossan’s family to investigate the alleged discovery of surveillance equipment in a van he was driving prior to his murder, and also how much police knew about those behind previous threats to kill him.

A preliminary hearing on Tuesday was told that the Ombudsman process “had taken quite a long while to work itself through”, but now seems to have concluded, and the inquest is being considered as a priority by Coroner Paddy McGurgan.

Mr McGurgan said he would like to give Mr Crossan’s family a date for the inquest at the next review of the matter.

However, he said based on his diary commitments he would guesstimate it will be heard towards the latter end of next year or the start of 2024.

Concluding the brief hearing he said: “The family can be reassured that this inquest is now back on all fours.”

Mr Crossan was shot dead at a fuel depot off the Springfield Road on Good Friday 2014.

At the time, there were suspicions the murder was linked to a long-running dispute with rival dissident republicans.

No-one has ever been convicted.

The case has been listed for review on September 20.