The BBC has been urged to provide material from a documentary series to the linked inquests of four Catholics killed by loyalists in Co Tyrone more than 30 years ago.
Kevin McKearney (32) was shot dead by the UVF along with his uncle Jack McKearney (70) in the Moy in January 1992.
Kevin was killed instantly, while Jack died later in hospital.
Eight months later, in September 1992, Charlie Fox (63) and his wife Tess (53), who were Kevin McKearney’s in-laws, were gunned down in their home, near Moy, also by a UVF gang.
Collusion is strongly suspected in both cases and other murders carried out in the Mid Ulster area at the time.
The linked inquests into the four murders opened last year but have been held up by a failure of the PSNI and other agencies to disclose vital information.
It is understood The BBC has been asked to provide material linked to its series ‘Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History’, which aired in 2019, but to date the material, which has already been handed over to the PSNI as part of separate proceedings, has not yet been made available.
The legacy bill means that all such inquests which have not reached the point of verdict by May 1 must be halted.
At a hearing last week barrister Jude Bunting KC, who acts for Kevin McKearney’s widow Bernie McKearney, voiced his frustration at continued delays and described the inquest as “the case in which no deadline goes unignored”.
“We don’t have the PPS (Public Prosecution Service) disclosure, we don’t have the PONI (Police Ombudsman) disclosure….we don’t have the BBC disclosure,” he said.
“We don’t even know when the BBC meeting is going to happen despite having raised this issue as long ago as March last year.”
Peter Corrigan, of Phoenix Law, said the “BBC holds material plainly relevant” to the inquest.
“It’s further understood that that this material has already been handed over to the PSNI by agreement,” he said.
“Whilst we understand the BBC need to protect their sources, we believe the balance is outweighed by the fact they have already handed over this material and it involves ongoing inquest proceedings where the evidence is crucial for the families seeking justice 30 years on.
“While we appreciate the BBC is still continuing discussions with the Corner Service, we believe this material should be handed over immediately, so it does not disrupt this inquest.”
A spokeswoman for the BBC said: “Legal correspondence about this request is ongoing.
“Any public statement about it would be inappropriate at this stage.”
At least two loyalists were among seven individuals granted ‘properly interested persons’ (PIP) status at the inquest earlier this month.
They include convicted loyalists Laurence Maguire and Vicky Ahtty.
Both Maguire and Ahtty were among five men charged and convicted of offences in connection with the murder of Charles and Tess Fox.
Ahtty was also convicted of conspiracy to murder in relation to the McKearney case.
Maguire later spoke about the murder of Ms Fox to the makers of the ‘Spotlight On The Troubles’ series.
He also revealed that targeting information came from former UVF commander Billy Wright, which was supplied to him by RUC members, and told how he was involved in an aborted attempt to target members of the Cairns family near Bleary, Co Armagh, in 1992
It is understood Maguire was questioned by police about murder plan last year and a file was later forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
The McKearney-Fox inquests are due to resume on February 19.
