The naked body of Derry man Gerard Hampson was found in 2008. Police now treating his death as murder
Mr Hampson’s naked body was found on the shores of Lough Neagh on January 9, 2008, six weeks after he had been reported missing by his family.
They believe he was the victim of foul play.
A pathologist who carried out a post mortem examination on the Derry man noted there must be “considerable suspicion” surrounding his death.
The 53-year-old, from Northland Road in Derry, served a prison sentence for IRA terrroris offences.
At a pre-inquest review yesterday, Coroner Joe McCrisken said he would hear an application for a PII certificate on January 7.
PII certificates are normally introduced to keep sensitive security issues out of the public domain.
The family of Mr Hampson – known to his friends as ‘Shorty’ – have long maintained that their father was the victim of foul play and a pathologist report noted ‘there must be considerable suspicion around his death.’
A report by the Police Ombudsman was extremely critical of their handling of the case and subsequently eight officers were disciplined.
A 57 year old man arrested by detectives on suspicion of the murder of Hampson and was later released from custody.
The PSNI say the suspect was freed pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.
At the time he went missing Mr Hampson was wanted for questioning in connection with a double abduction in Co Westmeath and a shooting in Derry in 2007.
A brother-in-law of the late Sinn Féin leader Martin McGuinness, Marvin Canning, was charged in connection with the episode but the prosecution was later dropped.
