PSNI officer sanctioned over handling of Belfast Christmas assault

The victim spent Christmas in hospital with a broken leg in 2021

A police officer has been sanctioned for misconduct after a watchdog found "clear failings" in the handling of an investigation into a serious assault.

A man spent Christmas 2021 in hospital with a broken leg after he was attacked outside Belfast Central Library.

He said he was targeted after he verbally challenged two men who he saw assaulting two teenagers and using homophobic language.

At the time the PSNI said it was treating the attack as a "hate crime".

But the victim complained to the Police Ombudsman after he said months passed without receiving any updates from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, despite several requests.

The ombudsman's office identified "clear failings in this PSNI investigation into the serious assault" and a "lack of victim updates".

In a letter to the complainant, it said there was no evidence that a written statement was ever obtained from the victim.

The ombudsman referred the case to the PSNI's professional standards department, which accepted a recommendation of a disciplinary sanction against a police officer.

An appeal was lodged by the officer but the decision was upheld and she received an "appropriate disciplinary sanction".

PSNI investigation 'poor'

The assault happened on Royal Avenue on the evening of 23 December 2021.

The victim, who did not wish to be named, said he felt the PSNI's handling of the investigation was "very slapdash".

"I think it was very poor and I would have expected more," he told BBC News NI.

The 56-year-old said the assault affected him "physically, mentally and financially", adding: "It's not something you can just move on quickly from."

He said last Christmas he still did not feel "back to normal", but this year he was "really looking forward to spending it with the family".

A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman said: "This was a serious assault in Belfast city centre, and the Police Ombudsman identified clear failings in how the incident was investigated by police.

"The investigating police officer failed to conduct a number of basic enquiries, and over a period of months did not provide the victim with any updates about the progression of the case."

A PSNI spokeswoman said: "The Police Service of Northern Ireland received and investigated a file from the Office of the Police Ombudsman.

"The file was considered by our Professional Standards Department and misconduct proceedings were instigated against the officer in line with the Police (Conduct) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016.

"Misconduct proceedings have now concluded and the officer has been sanctioned."