Editorial: There has been a shocking lack of clarity over the investigation that apparently involves the police ombudsman

For many years now in Northern Ireland, state or public bodies have been closely monitored and examined.​

If something goes wrong, there is an investigation. This is true above all of the security forces, in particular the police. Officers past and present have been adjudicated, as ex chief inspector Jon Burrows puts it, to a ‘robust’ standard by the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (PONI).

There are many worrying features of the oversight of police officers, including the appeal mechanisms for officers who have had findings against them, in particular former RUC officers. On the rare occasions that a PONI report on a past allegation is challenged, such as the time when Mr Justice McCloskey tore into the second PONI report into Loughinisland (issued after the first report, by Al Hutchinson, which didn’t find police collusion in the loyalist killings was torn up), describing that second report (which did find collusion) as unlawful, in effect nothing happens.

It is worth reciting such episodes because it goes to the heart of whether serving or former police officers can be confident they get a fair hearing when investigated.

In such circumstances, it should go without saying that the Ombudsman – both the office and the holder – should be beyond reproach.

It is shocking that almost 18 months on we still have no clarity over an incident that reportedly happened at the ombudsman’s home. Police say they could not get access to the property – why? Was there body cam footage of the incident? If so, have all relevant parties including the justice minister been appraised of the basic facts of the case? Is the secretary of state, Hilary Benn similarly aware, given the vital nature of the office.

Marie Anderson is back at work. If this means that there was no issue then the least the authorities can do is explain why an English police force was called in and why it took so long.