Policing Board confirms Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister breached code of conduct over John Caldwell comments

The authority confirmed a claim made by the Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows last week that Nuala McAllister had broken its rules.

However, the board won’t comment on whether the North Belfast MLA should apologise for the remarks about Mr Caldwell, who suffered life-changing injuries in a dissident republican gun attack in 2023. It says she made the remarks in her capacity as an MLA, not as a board member.

Mr Burrows has welcomed the official confirmation from the Policing Board, and repeated his call for the Alliance politician to apologise – as well as raising concerns about the lack of any sanction within the organisation’s code of conduct.

Last week, Ms McAllister declined to comment on the matter, saying she did not wish to compromise “ongoing legal matters”.

Last year Mr Caldwell, a former PSNI detective chief inspector, said he was suing the BBC and Ms McAllister over comments made during a documentary about the police investigation into the death of 21-year-old showjumper Katie Simpson; however it is unclear whether that case is still being pursued.

A legal representative for Ms McAllister said at the time that her comments were “intensely” researched and that she would be “strenuously” defending any proceedings issued.

Reacting to the Policing Board’s confirmation of his statement that Nuala McAllister had breached its code of conduct, Mr Burrows told the News Letter: “Katie Simpson’s murder was a dreadful crime and I publicly stated that lessons needed to be learned in relation to its handling. However, to name retired DCI John Caldwell KPM in the Spotlight programme when he had no case to answer for any misconduct was grossly irresponsible.

“Why was he named and why only John and what was it intended to achieve? John has told me personally how much distress Ms McAllister’s actions caused him and his family - at at time he was going through surgeries for his injuries - which are life changing.

“I would ask once again that Ms McAllister apologises to John and that if she cannot - that her party leader does so on behalf of the Alliance Party.

“I am also deeply disturbed that there was no provision in the Board’s Code of Conduct to impose a sanction for a breach. The members of the Board can hire and fire senior officers, but can breach their own code or conduct with impunity. This is outrageous and will damage public trust again in our policing accountability structures”.

The BBC ‘Spotlight’ programme at the heart of the row focused on the PSNI’s handling of the investigation into the death of Katie Simpson, which had initially been treated as a suicide. It examined whether some officers were initially reluctant to investigate the showjumper’s death as a potential crime. Jonathan Creswell, the partner of Ms Simpson’s sister, was arrested on suspicion of murder the following year. His murder trial ended in April 2024 after his sudden death.

Last week, Mr Burrows said that Ms McAllister's actions were reckless, and that she singled Mr Caldwell out in a way which was “inappropriate and unjustifiable”.

In response to a series of questions from the News Letter, a spokesperson for the Policing Board said: “Complaints received were investigated in line with the Board member Code of Conduct and it was found that a breach of the Code had occurred. The Member was advised of the outcome of the investigation and reminded of their responsibility to comply with the Code of Conduct in the future. All complainants were informed of the outcome.

“In relation to the issue of an apology, the Member in question was acting in her capacity as an MLA and not as a Board member when the comments in question were made.”

The Alliance Party has been contacted for comment.