Post-mortem over dissident death

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A post-mortem examination is to be carried out later on the body of a man who was found dead in a police station at the weekend.

Dissident republican John Brady, 40, was held in police custody on Friday night over an alleged assault.

His body was discovered by police officers at Strand Road station, Londonderry on Saturday afternoon.

It is understood he took his own life. Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson has launched an investigation.

Speaking on Sunday, he said it was "too early" to determine the cause of Mr Brady's death and that a post-mortem examination would take place on Monday.

"Our office needs to conduct a fair, independent and impartial investigation into the death and we are dealing with the families," he added.

"It is important at this time of grief that Mr Brady's family have our sympathies and certainly have our assurance that we will conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the cause of his death."

DNA concerns

Last year, Mr Brady was charged with attempted murder but this was dropped over concerns about DNA evidence.

He had been charged with leaving a bomb under the car of a former RIR soldier in 2002.

However, the case was reviewed and dropped, based on a judge's criticism of low copy number DNA evidence during the Omagh bomb trial.

Mr Brady had been imprisoned for the murder of a police officer in 1989.

In 1991, he pleaded guilty to killing RUC Reserve Constable David Black who died after an under-car booby-trap device exploded near his home on the outskirts of Strabane.

He was initially released on licence in 1998 after the Good Friday Agreement, but his licence was later revoked and he was returned to prison in November 2003.