The RUC has been refused leave to appeal to the House of Lords against last week's ruling which could result in massive compensation for the families of three men murdered by a deranged policeman.
The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Robert Carswell, said yesterday in the Court of Appeal in Belfast: "We accept there are material legal issues and we are not refusing leave on the grounds that it is a pointless appeal, but we think their lordships would prefer to decide for themselves if the respondent should be given leave to appeal."
Last week Sir Robert ruled it was arguable a duty of care existed to the victims of Const Allen Moore (24), from Ballymena, who killed three people and wounded two in the Sinn Fein centre, Falls Road, Belfast, in 1992, before killing himself.