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01/06/2017
Officer Disciplined Over Failure To Investigate Mugging In Belfast
A police officer has been disciplined for failing to investigate a mugging in Belfast.
An investigation by the Police Ombudsman revealed that the officer failed to examine CCTV footage, made no attempt to interview named witnesses, and did not respond to phone calls from the victim or a letter from his solicitor.
The victim of the attack, which happened in the spring of 2015, was beaten and robbed by a number of men.
Police spoke to the victim on the night of the attack, before an ambulance took him to hospital for treatment.
However, he said it took three weeks and several calls to police before he could make arrangements for a statement to be taken from him.
After that, he said he heard nothing more from police for a year and a half, despite leaving a number of messages for the investigating officer. Even when his solicitor wrote a letter to the officer, he said he still received no response.
Enquiries by a Police Ombudsman investigator found that the police officer originally appointed to investigate the case went on sick leave shortly after the incident.
A new investigator was appointed and he took a statement from the victim three weeks after the attack.
When interviewed, this officer said he had been provided only with descriptions of the attackers and had not been directed by his supervisor to obtain CCTV. He identified no other lines of enquiry and said the case was closed pending further evidence.
The police have since implemented a recommendation that the officer should be disciplined.
Although failures were also identified in the supervision of the case, no disciplinary action could be taken against any individual officer as a number had performed the role and it was not clear who had been responsible at the relevant time.
An investigation by the Police Ombudsman revealed that the officer failed to examine CCTV footage, made no attempt to interview named witnesses, and did not respond to phone calls from the victim or a letter from his solicitor.
The victim of the attack, which happened in the spring of 2015, was beaten and robbed by a number of men.
Police spoke to the victim on the night of the attack, before an ambulance took him to hospital for treatment.
However, he said it took three weeks and several calls to police before he could make arrangements for a statement to be taken from him.
After that, he said he heard nothing more from police for a year and a half, despite leaving a number of messages for the investigating officer. Even when his solicitor wrote a letter to the officer, he said he still received no response.
Enquiries by a Police Ombudsman investigator found that the police officer originally appointed to investigate the case went on sick leave shortly after the incident.
A new investigator was appointed and he took a statement from the victim three weeks after the attack.
When interviewed, this officer said he had been provided only with descriptions of the attackers and had not been directed by his supervisor to obtain CCTV. He identified no other lines of enquiry and said the case was closed pending further evidence.
The police have since implemented a recommendation that the officer should be disciplined.
Although failures were also identified in the supervision of the case, no disciplinary action could be taken against any individual officer as a number had performed the role and it was not clear who had been responsible at the relevant time.
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