The background to the current Donaldson investigation is the track record and reputation of Six County and British state institutions dealing with politically sensitive criminal cases. In recent weeks six county state authorities covered themselves in shame over two related cases – they announced there would be no prosecutions over the role of British secret service agent Freddie Scappaticci in several serious murder cases. They also announced there would be no action over the killing of Derry GAA volunteer Seán Brown.