Six men died when UVF gunmen raked The Heights bar in Loughinisland in June 1994.

THE POLICE Ombudsman will today rule on allegations of collusion between police and a UVF gang that murdered six innocent Catholics in Co Down over two decades ago.

The men were watching a Republic of Ireland World Cup game in June 1994 when several gunmen burst into The Heights Bar in Loughinisland and opened fire.

Five others were wounded in the sectarian attack.

Twenty-two years later, no one has ever been brought to justice even though police know the identity of the killers.

Families of the victims have persistently accused the police of failing to properly investigate the killings, claiming they wanted to protect informers.

They have alleged there was collusion between some police officers and those who carried out the attack.

The getaway car found abandoned on a Co Down road was later destroyed by the RUC, losing all possible forensic evidence.

The men who died were Adrian Rogan 34, Malcolm Jenkinson, 53, Barney Greene, 87, Daniel McCreanor 59, Patrick O’Hare, 35, and Eamon Byrne, 39.

Mr Greene was one of the oldest people to be killed in the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Five years ago the previous police ombudsman, Al Hutchinson, published a report which said the police had not properly investigated the killings.

But his report said there was insufficient evidence of collusion between the police and the Ulster Volunteer Force.

The families took legal action and in December 2012 the report’s findings were quashed by a High Court judge.

UVF Loughinisland pub victim Barney Green who was the oldest to be murdered

Mr Hutchinson resigned shortly afterwards and his successor, Dr Michael Maguire, re-opened the investigation.

The families and their lawyers were briefed about the findings in Loughinisland on Wednesday.

Dr Maguire’s report will contain thousands of words, but for the families of those killed and seriously injured in the Heights Bar, the focus will be on whether he uses just one word – collusion.