THE Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland will not face any charges following a police investigation into potential misconduct while in office.
Marie Anderson stood down aside from the role in June of this year as an investigation got underway in connection with an incident at her home in Holywood, Co. Down.
The PSNI asked the West Midlands Police Force in England to leadf the investigation into the matter, which was a domestic incident at occurred at the Ombudsman’s home two years ago.
Ms Anderson was reported for the potential offences of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office.
Today the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland confirmed that no charges would be brought against her.
Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Marie Anderson“The PPS has taken a decision not to prosecute the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland who was reported for potential offences of perverting the course of justice and misconduct in public office,” they said in a statement issued today.
“After careful consideration of a file submitted following an investigation led by West Midlands Police into alleged actions by the Ombudsman, it was concluded by prosecutors that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction for any criminal offence.”
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Herron said the investigation was a “complex and sensitive matter” which he confirmed was given “careful consideration by a team of senior prosecutors and highly experienced independent Senior Counsel”.
“This case has understandably generated significant public interest and speculation - much of which was factually inaccurate,” he added.
“The events of September 2023 that led to this investigation were undoubtedly difficult,” Mr Herron said.
“The evidence shows that PSNI engaged with the Ombudsman with care and sensitivity, and their investigation was conducted properly and in good faith.
“The central allegation in this case was that the Ombudsman had misconducted herself in public office and or attempted to pervert the course of justice through her interactions with police who were investigating the incident referred to above.
“The legal threshold for both offences is high.
“In assessing whether the Test for Prosecution was met, prosecutors considered all of the relevant facts and circumstances including the particular context in which the interactions took place; contemporaneous records made by police in relation to what was said by her; and the evidence from senior police who spoke directly to the Ombudsman during key stages of the relevant events.
“It was concluded that the evidence was insufficient to establish that the Ombudsman was either acting or purporting to act as a public officer at the relevant times; or that she misconducted herself or attempted to pervert the course of justice through anything she said or did in response to police enquiries.”
As a result of the domestic incident in 2023, a man received a caution for common assault.
