PSNI Body-Part Retention "Exceptionally Worrying"

SDLP Policing spokesperson Conall McDevitt has spoken with deep concern about the revelations regarding the PSNI’s retention of human tissue in 67 cases of violent or unexplained death between 1960 and 2005 without the subjects' families being informed.

The South Belfast MLA, who is also chairman of the Policing Board’s Human Rights and Professional Standards committee, said: "This is an exceptionally worrying revelation.

"It will be a major shock for many families to find out that tissue relating to loved ones has been retained without their knowledge.

"I acknowledge that the PSNI have now put systems into place to inform families, but it is really important that past practice is fully reviewed in order to understand why proper protocols do not appear to have been in place over the period in which tissue was retained.

"This is a matter I will be raising at the Policing Board and keeping a close eye on."

Ulster Unionist Policing Board representative Ross Hussey has expressed his sympathy to the families of the 67 victims of suspicious or unexplained deaths whose body parts and tissue samples were retained by the Police without notifying relatives.

The West Tyrone MLA said: "This news will no doubt have come as a great shock to a great number of families. I welcome the fact that the PSNI have appointed 14 family liaison officers who are in the process of contacting the families affected, and I would ask that those families have their privacy respected as they come to terms with this news.

"I also understand that there was an announcement planned for Monday which would have given the Police time to contact the families affected, but due to the leaking of this information, this process has had to be brought forward.

"Some of these cases date back over 50 years to a very different era. No matter what details emerge in the coming days, it is extremely important that the families affected are treated with the utmost sensitivity and that robust mechanisms are put in place to ensure this situation cannot happen again."

(CD/GK)