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Northern Ireland police chief faces misconduct inquiry Northern Ireland police chief faces misconduct inquiry
(about 2 hours later)
Northern Ireland’s police chief is facing an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. Northern Ireland’s chief constable is among three senior police officers being investigated by a police watchdog into allegations of misconduct, criminal conspiracy and criminality in office.
George Hamilton and a number of other senior Police Service of Northern Ireland officers are subject to the inquiry by the region’s police ombudsman. The Police Service of Northern Ireland top officers’ accusers are themselves nine senior experienced police officers, including an ex-chief constable of West Yorkshire police, it was confirmed on Thursday.
The PSNI said it “completely refutes” all allegations. The claims relate to how the PSNI handled an inquiry into the awarding of a contract to supply vehicles to the force. The head of the PSNI George Hamilton, his deputy Drew Harris and assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton were named by the BBC on Thursday as being at the centre of an inquiry by the police ombudsman’s office in Belfast.
The former West Yorkshire chief constable Mark Gilmore, who is a former PSNI officer, and retired PSNI assistant chief constable Duncan McCausland were among nine people interviewed by detectives in the 2014 investigation into bribery and misconduct in public office. The police ombudsman examines complaints about PSNI-alleged misconduct in the region.
No charges were ultimately brought against any of the men – all of whom denied any wrongdoing. The complaint against Hamilton and his two colleagues centres on a previous PSNI inquiry into a number of former officers who were accused in 2014 of bribery and fraud relating to vehicle procurement contracts for the force.
The current deputy chief constable, Drew Harris, and one of the force’s assistant chief constables, Mark Hamilton, are also now being investigated by the ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire. A number of other less senior officers are also under investigation. After an 18-month investigation none of these officers were charged with any offences on the advice of the Public Prosecution Service.
Maguire has received complaints from a number of those investigated in the vehicle contracts inquiry in 2014, including McCausland and Gilmore. It is understood the claims include allegations that police documents were altered. The nine officers included the former West Yorkshire chief constable Mark Gilmore and former PSNI assistant chief constable Duncan McCausland.
The PSNI issued a lengthy statement denying any wrongdoing. “PSNI can confirm that a number of senior officers, including the chief constable and deputy chief constable, have been informed of complaints made against them by former senior PSNI officers,” said a spokeswoman. They then contacted the police ombudsman’s office and made allegations that there was criminality in the 2014 investigation. They alleged that PSNI notebooks and journals were changed in order to help secure a conviction against them.
“The complaints relate to allegations of misconduct by senior police during a criminal investigation by the PSNI into the two complainants, former senior colleagues, during 2014. Their solicitor, Ernie Waterworth, said they would seek to prove there was evidence of “serious criminal activity” in the way the PSNI sought to prosecute his clients.
“PSNI acknowledges and supports the need for the Office of the Police Ombudsman to investigate these allegations and all officers are cooperating fully with the investigation. Referring to his clients – all senior police officers with long records of service in Northern Ireland – Waterworth added: “It’s an extremely serious allegation and I have to say my clients thought long and hard before going down this road.”
“The chief constable, deputy chief constable and other officers completely refute the allegations made against them and are strongly of the view that these complex investigations into the complainants were conducted with professionalism and integrity. This position has been fully outlined in the officers’ initial response to Oponi [Office of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland]. The PSNI said it robustly rejected the allegations against the force’s current senior commanders, including the chief constable.
“Whilst ordinarily the police service would limit its responses on matters where it is under investigation, this case has particular and unusual aspects to it. This case has been the subject of recent speculative press and media coverage which has the potential to negatively impact on public confidence in policing. “The chief constable, deputy chief constable and other officers completely refute the allegations made against them and are strongly of the view that these complex investigations into the complainants were conducted with professionalism and integrity,” said its statement.
“We have full confidence in the Oponi to complete a thorough investigation and we trust that they are left to do so without ongoing public commentary.” A PSNI spokesperson added: “Whilst ordinarily the police service would limit its responses on matters where it is under investigation, this case has particular and unusual aspects to it.
The ombudsman’s office said its investigation would be treated as a “critical incident”. “This case has been the subject of recent speculative press and media coverage, which has the potential to negatively impact on public confidence in policing.
“The police ombudsman’s office has begun an investigation into concerns about the way in which the PSNI conducted an investigation into allegations of bribery and misconduct in public office in 2014,” said a spokesman. “We have full confidence in the Oponi [Office of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland] to complete a thorough investigation and we trust that they are left to do so without ongoing public commentary.”
“The office is investigating allegations of criminality and misconduct in how this investigation was undertaken by police. Confirming an investigation into the chief constable and his two colleagues had begun, a police ombudsman spokesman said: “The office is investigating allegations of criminality and misconduct in how this investigation was undertaken by police.
“It has not named the police officers under investigation, but has confirmed that they include a range of officers, including those above the rank of chief superintendent. “It has not named the police officers under investigation, but has confirmed that they include a range of officers, including those above the rank of chief superintendent.”
“The police ombudsman has declared the matter to be a ‘critical incident’ – an issue the outcome of which could have a significant impact on the person making the complaint, on the police or on the wider community. The police ombudsman’s inquiry into the matter would involve six independent investigators and the matter was a “serious incident” for the office of Dr Michael Maguire.
“A team has been set up to look into these matters. It includes six investigators and has access to external legal advice. The inquiry is expected to take at least a year and the watchdog has not recommended that any of three top PSNI commanders be suspended during the investigation.
“Given that some of the officers are above the level of chief superintendent, the policing board [the PSNI’s independent oversight body] has been notified. The office has not recommended the suspension of any of the police officers concerned.” Gilmore was suspended from his job in West Yorkshire following the controversy that started in 2014. He retired two years later having never returned to duty.
Hamilton was appointed as chief constable in May 2014 – a month before the investigation into the vehicle contracts became public. In June, Gilmore voluntarily attended a police interview in Belfast and insisted he had always acted with honesty and integrity. It is understood he has launched a separate legal action against the West Yorkshire force through a judicial review in London.
The new ombudsman’s inquiry, which was first reported by BBC Northern Ireland, is expected to extend well into 2018.
Gilmore was suspended from his job in West Yorkshire following the controversy. He retired two years later having never returned to duty. At the time of his initial suspension in June 2014, Gilmore, who attended a police interview in Belfast voluntarily, insisted he had always acted with honesty and integrity.