Hi °C | Lo °C The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Jim Rodgers, is writing to the Secretary of State demanding an independent investigation into the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), it emerged today.
The east Belfast councillor said he felt he had "no choice" but to pen the letter to Shaun Woodward after the PPS decided not to prosecute youths allegedly involved in vandalising a church in the city.
Worshippers at St Donard's Church in east Belfast had faced ongoing problems with yobbish behaviour.
The Bloomfield church had previously been attacked with fireworks during a service and elderly residents have been harassed by youths.
During one incident, the Rev Charles McCartney, rector of St Donard's, photographed youths on the church roof.
However, he was "verbally cautioned" by the PSNI for taking photographs of the children.
But after police examined the photographs and passed the file onto the PPS a letter was sent to Mr McCartney confirming no prosecution would occur.
A spokesman for the PPS confirmed that the decision was taken not to prosecute and this was " due to insufficient evidence to provide reasonable prospect of a conviction" .
Mr Rodgers told the Belfast Telegraph he was "totally shocked" by the PPS decision.
"The police went to great lengths to address this problem in the area," he said.
"I have been contacted by a number of people in the area who are sick to the back teeth by this.
"I am grossly unhappy about the situation.
Mr Rodgers added: "I feel it needs to be independently investigated.
"So as the Lord Mayor I am writing to the Secretary of State asking him to investigate the situation.
"I feel really strongly about it.
"But it has to be done independently - not by anyone from within the Civil Service.
"It should be done from an independent point of view to get the report out to the public."
