Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Marie Anderson takes temporary leave of absence - reaction from DUP MLA Trevor Clarke, Jon Burrows, Jim Gamble and Justice Minister Naomi Long
Northern Ireland’s Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson has said she is taking a temporary leave of absence.
The announcement comes after police sent a file linked to her office to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) last week.
Marie Anderson said she has delegated authority to her office’s chief executive and senior staff to ensure the work examining complaints around the conduct of police in the region can continue in her absence.
It comes following the conclusion of an independent investigation into events relating to an incident at a property linked to Ms Anderson in Holywood, Co Down in 2023.
PSNI officers went to the property at about 6.30pm on Saturday September 23 2023, after a report of a domestic incident.
A man was arrested as part of the inquiry and later released pending a report to prosecutors.
A file was subsequently sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and a caution issued to the man who had been arrested.
West Midlands Police was one of three UK police forces looking into the incident, sending a file to the PPS on Tuesday June 10.
Today, Ms Anderson said she has taken the decision to take a leave of absence due to “current commentary”.
Her announcement follows prolonged discussion of the issues in the News Letter and an in depth discussion on the Nolan Show earlier today.
OMBUDSMAN’S STATEMENT
She said: “Although I had decided to retire in December this year, which would have allowed me to fulfil my commitments to delivering the outcomes of investigations to a number of bereaved families, it has become increasingly clear that current commentary is detracting from the focus of that work,” she said.
“I am extremely grateful to those families who put their trust in me, and it is their interests which are at the heart of my decision today to take a temporary leave of absence with immediate effect.”
She went on: “In my absence, I am delegating authority to my chief executive and senior staff as appropriate. “I have every confidence in all my staff and know they will work diligently and am grateful for their support in recent times."
BACKGROUND TO THE CASE
Last week a PPS spokeswoman explained the contents of the file it is considering. It received a file "reporting one individual for potential offences of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office following a police investigation arising from an incident in Holywood, Co Down, in September 2023". It added: "All the available evidence in the investigation file will be carefully considered by a senior public prosecutor and the Test for Prosecution applied. A decision will issue in due course."
REACTION TO TODAY’S NEWS
However, DUP Policing Board member Trevor Clarke said the news that the Police Ombudsman is taking temporary leave of absence has come "late in the day" following an investigation that has been ongoing since 2023.
The South Antrim MLA said: “The Police Ombudsman should have stepped aside at the time of the incident, but an announcement has only been made today that she will take a leave of absence a few months before she intends to retire.
"The DUP has been consistently raising this issue at the Policing Board, but the statement today appears only to have come following more significant public discussion on the news. During that time there has been continued damage to public confidence in the Ombudsman’s office.
"Previously the Ombudsman had said it wouldn’t be possible for the office to continue to function if she stepped aside, but now responsibility has been delegated to other staff. Unfortunately, today’s statement doesn’t end the saga and uncertainty continues.”
Former senior PSNI officer and head of discipline in the service, Jon Burrows, said that due process must be respected in relation to the PPS file.
However, the saga raises "profound questions about the overall accountability and governance framework relating to the Office of Police Ombudsman" he said.
He believes that recent events show that nobody has the power to suspend the occupant of the office of Police Ombudsman in any circumstance.
Jim Gamble, a former senior police officer, said that stepping back was something that should have been done "at a much earlier stage" to ensure the integrity of the justice system.
He added: "I can't imagine that the ombudsman would have tolerated without immediate public challenge a senior officer being investigated for misconduct in public office or perverting the course of justice, who hadn't either stepped back or been suspended."
Justice Minister Naomi Long acknowledged the move by Ms Anderson.
“Public confidence in the role of the office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is crucial and I acknowledge Marie Anderson’s decision to delegate her powers of office to the Chief Executive and senior staff," she said.
"This is a complex and sensitive situation, and we should not seek to pre-empt the ultimate outcome of the process. It is now important that due process is allowed to run its course, free from further public speculation.”