Police apology to victims of collapsed sectarian assault case

A senior PSNI officer has apologised to the victims of a sectarian attack for shortcomings in the police investigation.

Chief Superintendent Pauline Shields, commander of F District, which covers Fermanagh and south Tyrone, has written a letter stating: “I recognise that the victims of this crime will feel let down and I want to apologise to them for that.”

She was reacting to a court report in the Belfast Telegraph in which District Judge Liam McNally dismissed a case against a 20-year-old man accused of assaulting two men who were attacked by a crowd as they walked home from a pub in Enniskillen and called “taig b*******” and “fenian c****”.

The case was dismissed after the judge heard a police officer took statements from both victims while they were sitting together in the same room.

The identity of the accused was also in dispute, but the officer decided not to hold an identification parade. The District Judge told Fermanagh Magistrates Court it was the second or third time he had encountered new recruits, probably dealing with their first case, failing to comply with the Police and Criminal Evidence Order.

The Order includes rules about how a police officer conducts an investigation.

He said that in this particular instance it was a difficult case and the investigating officer had only been on the beat for two or three weeks.

“I’m not in any way critical of him,” stressed the District Judge.

However, he said the PSNI’s training of recruits in relation to the Police and Criminal Evidence Order “leaves a lot to be desired”.

Responding to the criticism, Chief Superintendent Shields stated: “I note the comments made by the District Judge and I take them very seriously.

“I want to reassure the public and the judiciary that steps will be taken to ensure that we learn the lessons identified as a result of this regrettable matter.

“The Police Service is firmly committed to investigating crime to the highest standards and making sure victims get the justice they deserve.

“We are very aware that in building confidence in policing it is vital that we deliver a professional criminal justice system.

“This includes accepting when we get things wrong, learning from these experiences and ensuring we do everything possible to prevent a recurrence.”

She added: “The thorough, complete and competent investigation of offences lies at the heart of delivering personal, professional and protective policing to everyone in the Fermanagh area. Moving forward, we will do our utmost to maintain a high investigative standard in every case.

“Training for officers and continuous professional development is also a cornerstone of improving services and developing confidence and relationships with communities. The Police Service will continue to work tirelessly to tackle crime and protect those in need,” promised Chief Superintendent Shields.

Belfast Telegraph