Police officers in Northern Ireland have been accused of manipulating the body of a man who had killed himself and sharing the pictures online.
In one of the images, the man’s genitals are understood to be exposed, while another is said to have had a speech bubble added. After more than three years investigating, the ombudsman is waiting to hear if prosecutions can be brought.
Two Police Service of Northern Ireland officers under investigation were at the scene when the man’s body was discovered in Belfast in 2017. One officer has been suspended on full pay and several arrests have been made.
The man’s father, who spoke anonymously to the BBC, said he was first told about the allegations 18 months after his son’s death.
“Those police officers were in the house while I was there – asked me to leave the room – and I done everything they asked me to at the time.
“And all that keeps coming back to me is why did I leave the room, because that must have been when they done it, when they took the photographs.”
The officers are accused of moving the body and manipulating it into poses for images and videos. A speech bubble was allegedly added on to one image and shared on social media, including a derogatory term for Catholics.
The Police ombudsman, Marie Anderson, said a “series of arrests” had been made and that the incident was “part of a much broader and more complex case, encompassing investigations into 11 separate but related incidents spanning several years”.
She said there were “multiple suspects, including police officers and civilians” in Northern Ireland and England. The offences under investigation included computer misuse, data protection breaches, misconduct in a public office, harassment and the suspected supply of illegal drugs.
Anderson said a file had been passed to the Public Prosecution Service and that they were waiting to hear whether any prosecutions would happen.
She said: “This is a harrowing case, and no family should have had to endure the pain and suffering that has been caused by these images … All of those impacted by these incidents can be assured that we have given this case the priority and meticulous attention that it deserves, and we will continue to do so.”
Police Service of Northern Ireland’s deputy chief constable, Mark Hamilton, said: “This investigation is being conducted by the police ombudsman. An officer is currently suspended.
“We expect the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from all of our police officers and staff in accordance with the standards contained in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s code of ethics. Breaches of the law and the code will be thoroughly investigated and robustly dealt with in accordance with the procedures laid out in our conduct regulations.
“I would encourage anyone who suspects a member of our service of abusing their position, in any manner, to report it to us, or to the ombudsman’s office. You can be assured that the matter will be investigated thoroughly.”
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
