This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8510373.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Officers failed to find dead body | Officers failed to find dead body |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Police Ombudsman has recommended that two police officers be disciplined after they failed to find the decomposed body of a man in his home. | The Police Ombudsman has recommended that two police officers be disciplined after they failed to find the decomposed body of a man in his home. |
| Policing Board member Martina Anderson expressed her concerns after details of the incident, which happened in 2008, were revealed to the board this week. | Policing Board member Martina Anderson expressed her concerns after details of the incident, which happened in 2008, were revealed to the board this week. |
| The Police Ombudsman's Al Hutchinson said lessons must be learnt. | The Police Ombudsman's Al Hutchinson said lessons must be learnt. |
| "If it wasn't for the persistence of his neighbour the discovery of his body would have been delayed further." | "If it wasn't for the persistence of his neighbour the discovery of his body would have been delayed further." |
| In a report, Mr Hutchison made recommendations that two police officers be disciplined. | In a report, Mr Hutchison made recommendations that two police officers be disciplined. |
| "One for a failure to deal properly with the initial report made to police, the other was the police officer who carried out the initial search." | "One for a failure to deal properly with the initial report made to police, the other was the police officer who carried out the initial search." |
| Mr Hutchinson also recommended that police in the district be reminded about keeping an index of properties or locations which present issues of concern. | Mr Hutchinson also recommended that police in the district be reminded about keeping an index of properties or locations which present issues of concern. |
| "This would help officers by ensuring they were well informed, prepared and equipped for some of the difficult situations, they are faced with" he said. | "This would help officers by ensuring they were well informed, prepared and equipped for some of the difficult situations, they are faced with" he said. |
| The man, who was dependent on alcohol, had not been seen for more than a week when police were alerted by a neighbour to concerns for his safety. | |
| A PSNI spokesperson said: "The Police Ombudsman's Office have investigated this incident and published their findings. | A PSNI spokesperson said: "The Police Ombudsman's Office have investigated this incident and published their findings. |
| "We accept the outcomes and will comply with the recommendations in full." | "We accept the outcomes and will comply with the recommendations in full." |
| Property | Property |
| On 14 September 2008, the man's neighbour contacted police in Londonderry, worried that she had not seen her neighbour for over a week. | On 14 September 2008, the man's neighbour contacted police in Londonderry, worried that she had not seen her neighbour for over a week. |
| The next day an officer entered the property but found nothing. | The next day an officer entered the property but found nothing. |
| Mr Hutchinson said the officer who was about to go inside the house was cautioned by a colleague about the awful state of the property. | Mr Hutchinson said the officer who was about to go inside the house was cautioned by a colleague about the awful state of the property. |
| "Undeterred, and without either protective clothing or a torch, the officer went inside and began a search. | "Undeterred, and without either protective clothing or a torch, the officer went inside and began a search. |
| "The officer said the main living room windows were partially boarded up, the curtains were drawn and the lights were not working, all of which made visibility poor. | "The officer said the main living room windows were partially boarded up, the curtains were drawn and the lights were not working, all of which made visibility poor. |
| Body | Body |
| The officers left the house without finding the body, which was under a blanket on a sofa in the room. | The officers left the house without finding the body, which was under a blanket on a sofa in the room. |
| Mr Hutchinson said the police made additional inquiries with the Housing Executive and established that the man still lived at the property. | Mr Hutchinson said the police made additional inquiries with the Housing Executive and established that the man still lived at the property. |
| "Despite inquiries with Social Services and attempts to contact the man's family, they were not able to get any more information on his whereabouts. | "Despite inquiries with Social Services and attempts to contact the man's family, they were not able to get any more information on his whereabouts. |
| "Local police patrols were informed to report any sightings of the man," Mr Hutchinson said. | "Local police patrols were informed to report any sightings of the man," Mr Hutchinson said. |
| The following day, a police officer who had previous knowledge of the house, went inside and began an initial search, but without success. | The following day, a police officer who had previous knowledge of the house, went inside and began an initial search, but without success. |
| When he came outside a neighbour told the officer that the man ate and slept in his living room and that a Housing Executive official had previously found him asleep under a blanket on the sofa. | When he came outside a neighbour told the officer that the man ate and slept in his living room and that a Housing Executive official had previously found him asleep under a blanket on the sofa. |
| "The officer returned inside and found the man in the position described by the neighbour, his body decomposing," said Mr Hutchinson. | "The officer returned inside and found the man in the position described by the neighbour, his body decomposing," said Mr Hutchinson. |
| A post mortem revealed the man had died before the initial call to police and there was no suggestion of foul play. | A post mortem revealed the man had died before the initial call to police and there was no suggestion of foul play. |
| Mr Hutchinson said the circumstances of his death are poignant. | Mr Hutchinson said the circumstances of his death are poignant. |
| "I think there is a lesson for all of us in official organisations that vulnerable people, such as those dependent on alcohol, are still falling though the cracks in the system." | |
| Earlier on Thursday, Foyle MLA, Martina Anderson, said details of the Police Ombudsman's investigation were given to the Policing Board's Human Rights and Professional Standards Committee on Wednesday. | Earlier on Thursday, Foyle MLA, Martina Anderson, said details of the Police Ombudsman's investigation were given to the Policing Board's Human Rights and Professional Standards Committee on Wednesday. |
| "This was a tragic case and one from which lessons need to be learned and I am glad that the PSNI have now implemented changes to their policy in response to the Ombudsman's investigation," Ms Anderson said. | "This was a tragic case and one from which lessons need to be learned and I am glad that the PSNI have now implemented changes to their policy in response to the Ombudsman's investigation," Ms Anderson said. |
| "I hope that we never see a repetition of this kind of incident." | "I hope that we never see a repetition of this kind of incident." |