The judge in the Omagh bomb trial today condemned two police officers for providing what he said was misleading and false evidence.
He called their actions "reprehensible" and added: "The credibility of the two witnesses had been brought into serious question."
Mr Justice Weir
It was revealed today the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman has been called in by Chief Constable Sir Huge Orde after the judge earlier called for an immediate investigation of the officers' actions.
Mr Justice Weir issued his indictment of Detective Sergeant Fiona Cooper and Detective Sergeant Philip Marshall - since promoted to Detective Chief Inspector - when ruling on a defence application to have two of the 58 charges against the alleged Omagh bomber thrown out.
Yesterday the defence team for south Armagh man Sean Hoey (37) made an application to have two charges - unrelated to the Omagh bombing- dismissed.
The charges surrounded a murder conspiracy and a mortar bomb find at Altmore Forest at Dungannon, Co Tyrone, in April 2001 - nearly three years after the Omagh bomb, which killed 29 and injured hundreds more.
Mr Hoey, an electrician, denies all charges against him.
After considering the application overnight, the judge told Mr Pownall he was turning it down. However he described the actions of the two police officers as "reprehensible".
He said: "The defence has exposed the nature of false and misleading evidence of these two witnesses. The credibility of the two witnesses has been brought into serious question."
Explaining his refusal to drop the charges he said: "I do not however accept in the course of the present case that the conduct of the police witnesses is so grave as to threaten or undermine the rule of law itself.
"Any prejudice can be dealt with within the trial process."