Ombudsman and Chief Constable rift is ‘not irreparable’

The Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan has said relations with the Police Ombudsman have been damaged but not irreparably.

He said in a BBC programme: “I have known the Police Ombudsman for many, many years and have a high regard for her. That is unquestionable. I have no doubt that relationships can be rebuilt. They have been damaged. But I feel that I have been sorely wronged and I think this is grossly unfair.”

Sir Ronnie is considering High Court action over Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan’s report claiming that his flawed judgment had significantly reduced the chances of apprehending the terrorists who murdered 29 people.

However, Sir Ronnie repeated his assertion that the way the report was compiled went against natural justice.

“The draft report reaches very sweeping conclusions about me without me ever having been interviewed, without those conclusions ever having been put to me and without me ever having been given an opportunity to respond.”

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson said the credibility of the Ombudsman had taken a “serious knock”.

Mr Mandelson told the Today programme the Ombudsman’s report was a “very poor piece of work indeed”. He added: “I think it falls below the quality and standards of objectivity and rigour required in a report of this kind.”

He said it was a serious subject and that the Ombudsman had made the “most extreme conclusions” about the Chief Constable, accusing him of “defective leadership, poor judgment and a lack of urgency”.

Mr Mandelson said it was because of the seriousness of the charges that he had decided to speak up. (AMcE)