'A mockery of justice': Unionists turn fire on Sinn Fein after PPS announces no prosecution over portrait vandalism
Unionists have rounded on Sinn Fein after the PPS announced that no prosecution will be brought over vandalism to an official portrait in Belfast City Hall.
In the wake of the damage to the portrait depicting DUP figure Lord Browne last October, Michelle O'Neill had publicly announced that a Sinn Fein Assembly employee had admitted his involvement to the party.
Within days of the vandalism, which was discovered after an Irish language event at the hall, the man in question had resigned his role at the Assembly and his membership of Sinn Fein.
However the man then declined to answer police questions according to the PPS report into the affair, published today.
With no witnesses, no CCTV footage, no admission to police, and the Sinn Fein chief whip (in charge of party discipline) subsequently telling officers that the man in question “denied any knowledge of the damage”, the PPS concluded that it did not have enough evidence to prosecute.
In the wake of that decision, all three unionist parties have now turned their fire on Sinn Fein.
DUP MLA Phillip Brett said the party should release "all details" it knows about the affair, adding: "No one can look at these facts and feel confident that justice has been done.
"Some may wish to sweep this crime under the carpet.
"We will continue to push for all the evidence to be placed in the public domain.”
He called the lack of prosecution a "shame and disgrace," adding: "It is appalling that damage to property inside one of the most secure public buildings in Northern Ireland cannot be traced or proven because of no CCTV, no attendee list, and no admissible evidence.
"That makes a mockery of justice."
Meanwhile UUP MLA Jon Burrows, a former senior PSNI officer, said: “There is widespread scepticism in the unionist community when it comes to criminal investigations and prosecutorial decisions when it comes to members of Sinn Fein.
“There is also deep distrust of Sinn Fein as a party when it comes to law and order."
He added: "In my view, Sinn Fein still has a long way to go to convince the public it is a party that fully embraces the rule of law.
"When it comes to Sinn Fein, some old habits die hard.”
TUV deputy leader Ron McDowell, a Belfast councillor, said: "It is a matter of public record that a Sinn Fein employee - the son of an MLA - admitted involvement in the incident, was immediately suspended by the party, and then resigned both his employment and his membership of the party.
“Yet today the PPS have announced that no charges have been brought against anyone for damage running to thousands of pounds to public property."
The affair "will be viewed by many as yet another example of Sinn Fein gaming the system", he said.
The incident had come shortly after a decision to remove former Sinn Fein lord mayor Niall O Donnghaile’s portrait from City Hall after he had quit the party over sending inappropriate texts to a teenager.
The event at the City Hall on October 19 last year, after which the damage was discovered, had been organised by the Irish language group Glor na Mona.
Reports at the time quoted the group saying in a statement: “Following the formal end of our event, a portrait within City Hall was damaged.
"Glor na Mona had no knowledge of this taking place and only became aware of this on Monday when contacted by council staff.
"This is completely contrary to the ethos and principles of our organisation and the spirit of our successful anniversary celebratory event.
"We are extremely disappointed that this took place after what was an incredibly positive evening.
"We are assisting Belfast City Council with their investigation into the circumstances of this damage."