Publication date:
The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) can confirm a decision has been taken to prosecute one police officer for conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
The decision to prosecute this individual on indictment was taken after consideration of a file submitted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
This ACU investigation examined events which formed part of a police investigation into an incident in the Ormeau Road area of south Belfast on 5th February 2021. It concerned an allegation that a police officer had been involved in the generation of a false threat report that was intended to support an application to the Court for a witness anonymity order.
The decision to prosecute this individual issued today (18th December 2024) and all relevant parties were informed.
The PPS has also issued a decision in relation to a separate police investigation file received in May 2022 reporting one civilian for an assault on police during the incident on the Ormeau Road on 5th February 2021. In that case it was determined that there is insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction for any offence and therefore the Test for Prosecution is not met.
The decision not to prosecute this individual issued today and all relevant parties were informed.
A decision on the assault file had to be delayed pending an outcome to the ACU investigation. This was because the allegations under investigation by the ACU were relevant to the prospects of conviction on the assault file.
All decision-making on both files was undertaken independently, impartially and in line with the Code for Prosecutors.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- As an indictable prosecution will be commenced, the PPS does not wish to say anything that might prejudice those proceedings and will not be making any further comment on this case.
- The PPS would ask that there is no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online from other parties which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
- In relation to the decision to prosecute one individual, the necessary court papers are being finalised and a court date for the defendant’s first appearance will be generated in due course.
- The charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice is prosecuted on indictment and therefore will be heard by a jury in the Crown Court.
- PPS decisions are taken in accordance with the Test for Prosecution, which involves two stages. The Test for Prosecution is met if, in relation to an identifiable suspect, the available evidence is sufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of a conviction (the Evidential Test) and if prosecution is in the public interest (the Public Interest Test). The Evidential Test must be passed before the Public Interest Test is considered. Further detail is contained in the Code for Prosecutors.