Two Police Service of Northern Ireland officers have been dismissed following a Police Ombudsman investigation into their "wholly unacceptable" treatment of vulnerable members of the public, the PSNI has said.

Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: "I welcome the Police Ombudsman's investigation into the horrifying behaviour demonstrated by these officers. It will shock and appal our officers and staff that any member of the public, needing our help, was treated in this cruel and dismissive way.

"The behaviour described by the Ombudsman falls far below the standards the public is entitled to expect from police officers. It represented a serious breach of trust, particularly affecting people who were entitled to care, compassion and professional support at times of acute vulnerability.

"We take any cases of misconduct of this nature extremely seriously. This is reflected in the dismissals of two officers. It is essential for public confidence in policing that complaints of this nature are fully investigated by the Police Ombudsman and we fully engage with these processes. "Encouragingly, the investigation commenced after an officer raised concerns through PSNI internal reporting mechanisms prompting a Chief Constable's referral to the Police Ombudsman. These matters were subsequently subject to independent investigation by the Police Ombudsman and internal Professional Standards Department processes. This resulted in two officers being dismissed from the Police Service, one officer receiving a final written warning following a misconduct meeting, and no finding of misconduct in respect of another officer.

"We recognise the profound impact this conduct may have had on those affected and on wider public confidence in policing. We are sorry that individuals who sought the assistance of police were let down in this way.

"The Police Service of Northern Ireland remains committed to addressing misconduct robustly at every level. Where evidence identifies that officers have failed to meet the high standards expected of them, we will take decisive action in accordance with the Police Conduct Regulations.

"We will continue to work constructively with the Police Ombudsman and other oversight bodies to prevent and address matters such as those identified through these investigations. As an organisation, we will continue to reflect on relevant learning to strengthen professional standards, protect the public and maintain trust in policing."