Officers made 'degrading comments' about alleged domestic abuse victim

A phone recording during an arrest heard officers refer to a suspected victim of domestic violence as "mental" and possibly suffering from "post-natal depression"

Officers have been issued with advice to improve their conduct after "degrading and inappropriate comments," were recorded on a phone seized during a man's arrest, an investigation has found.

The man was arrested at home in 2022 and his phone had been recording audio from before his arrest and throughout his time in custody.

After listening to the recording, the man submitted a seven-hour excerpt in which officers referred to a suspected victim of domestic violence as "mental", possibly suffering from "post-natal depression" and requiring "hospitalisation".

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the "conduct of the officers fell short of the standards that we have set".

The officers had been unaware that the man's phone had been recording audio.

The Police Ombudsman recommended that the PSNI should hold misconduct meetings with all four officers.

This was not accepted by the PSNI's Professional Standards Department, which decided instead to hold a misconduct meeting with one officer and offer advice to the others.

As a result of the investigation, three police officers have been issued with advice to improve their conduct, while a fourth officer was subject to measures designed to improve performance.

Phone recording

The recording included "several concerning comments and revealed issues with how officers had dealt with the phone after it was seized at the time of the man's arrest", the Ombudsman report said.

The Chief Executive for the office of the Police Ombudsman, Hugh Hume, said: "While these comments were made by police officers outside of a public setting, they nonetheless reflect attitudes and behaviours that are entirely unacceptable.

"It is particularly concerning that such degrading remarks were directed towards a woman reporting to be a victim of domestic abuse.

"This serves as a reminder that police officers should always act with compassion, professionalism and integrity," Mr Hume said.

He told BBC News NI that there are "concerns that such attitudes and behaviours are reflective of some, perhaps, wider cultural behaviours".

"Using inappropriate, derogatory or dismissive language about a victim of domestic abuse is never acceptable, whether it be publicly or whether out of earshot, and it is unprofessional and demonstrates a lack of compassion."

Mr Hume added that the Ombudsman believed that their recommendations to hold misconduct meetings with the officers were "valid and appropriate, particularly given the wider need to end violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland".

Chief Executive for the office of the Police Ombudsman, Hugh Hume, said "using inappropriate, derogatory or dismissive language about a victim of domestic abuse is never acceptable"

The investigation found that the mobile phone had not been packaged, labelled or stored in accordance with PSNI policy.

It had also been taken out of the police station while the complainant was in custody, and there was no clear record of its movements while in police possession.

Investigators also considered an allegation that an officer had encouraged a colleague to destroy the mobile phone out of fear it might be recording.

Another officer was heard to respond, "what a way to get sacked".

'Not representative of excellent work'

The officer who made the initial comment about damaging the phone was interviewed under criminal caution on suspicion of attempting, or encouraging someone else, to break the device.

A file was submitted to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) which directed that the officer would not be prosecuted.

In a statement, Det Supt Julie Mullan, from the PSNI's Professional Standards Department said it acknowledged the report findings.

She said police and the public expect officers to investigate incidents "fully, fairly and professionally".

"While in this instance the conduct of the officers fell short of the standards that we have set, it is not representative of the excellent work police officers carry out across Northern Ireland on a daily basis as we strive to keep people safe."