The police response to a hotel disco crush that killed three teenagers in Northern Ireland has been referred to the Police Ombudsman watchdog, after it emerged that the first officers who arrived at the scene of the tragedy withdrew to await support
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 26, 2019
This afternoon.
Further to the death of three teenagers – Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and 16-year-old Connor Currie – at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown, Co Tyrone on St Patrick’s night when there was a “crush” in the car park of the hotel.
A statement from Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin has been released this afternoon, stating:
“The ongoing investigation into the tragic events at the Greenvale Hotel is active and wide ranging.
“As part of that investigation, it is right and proper that the actions of all those involved are considered.
“Part of the investigation has included a review of the initial police response.
“The first police officers arrived at the hotel grounds shortly after receiving the 999 report.
“Following their initial assessment they made attempts to establish more detail and information about what was happening and subsequently withdrew to await further police support.
“When the first ambulance arrive police moved forward in support of them.
“The timing and nature of police actions during this period require further investigation to fully establish the facts.
“The Chief Constable has therefore decided that the initial police response should be subject to independent scrutiny and it is in the public interest to refer the circumstances and the nature of the actions of the first officers arriving at the scene to the Police Ombudsman.
“The family have been informed of the referral.
“The confidence of the families and the confidence of the communities we serve are at the forefront of our minds in our decision to refer this matter to the Police Ombudsman.
“We will work with the Ombudsman to support whatever action he undertakes and would ask that people do not speculate or prejudge the outcome of the Ombudsman’s investigation.”
Previously: ‘A Very Complex Investigation’
Ah, now the PSNI’s zealous dirtying of the hotels owner is brought into context
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYtD4jfWHfM
The name change, changed nothing, they are just as rotten as now as they were in
the past, and whats worse we have one of them running the Police in the South, would
someone ask Mr Harris what he knows about the Glenane Gang
By all accounts there were hundreds of people in the melee, how many coppers are we taking about here that held back? If we’re talking single digit numbers then I think it’s only reasonable that they wait for backup.
All two of them.
I’d be blaming the greedy bastard owner of that hotel. If it was down south he would have been given a slap on wrist.
I do as well
It was a disaster waiting to happen
Remember the crush at copperface jacks in was it 2014 where hundreds turned up to get into a students disco for cheap drink
That was a warning never heeded
Its not exactly the polices fault that they were faced with this
Maybe in hindsight
The police should of ordered everyone to disperse and put a lock on the gate