09/10/2007
'Failure' To Stop Sectarian Assault Echoes Murder
A decade after a vicious sectarian mob beating killed Robert Hamill, Portadown is again the focus of claims that police stood by and did nothing to stop a similarly motivated attack.
SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly has claimed that loyalists tried to force their way into a Catholic bar in the town centre in the early hours of last Saturday morning before attacking the two men - despite a PSNI vehicle being close by.
The MLA said she has viewed CCTV footage that shows one of the victims being punching by a man with both fists before he is seen getting up and jumping on his head, while a second man was allegedly attacked with a broken bottle.
The Police Ombudsman has been asked to investigate her claims that a police land rover was parked at the top of the street when the men were attacked and the officers inside failed to intervene.
“Because of the history of the area and the death of Robert Hamill in 1997, the District Commander has very sensibly called in the Police Ombudsman to investigate this,” said the MLA.
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police, mindful of the sensitivity of the area, took the step of referring this incident to the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland Office in the interest of transparency and community reassurance.
"Police are treating the assaults as sectarian and continue to appeal for witnesses."
A female police officer was later injured during serious disturbances that flared when they arrived at the scene.
(BMcC)
SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly has claimed that loyalists tried to force their way into a Catholic bar in the town centre in the early hours of last Saturday morning before attacking the two men - despite a PSNI vehicle being close by.
The MLA said she has viewed CCTV footage that shows one of the victims being punching by a man with both fists before he is seen getting up and jumping on his head, while a second man was allegedly attacked with a broken bottle.
The Police Ombudsman has been asked to investigate her claims that a police land rover was parked at the top of the street when the men were attacked and the officers inside failed to intervene.
“Because of the history of the area and the death of Robert Hamill in 1997, the District Commander has very sensibly called in the Police Ombudsman to investigate this,” said the MLA.
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police, mindful of the sensitivity of the area, took the step of referring this incident to the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland Office in the interest of transparency and community reassurance.
"Police are treating the assaults as sectarian and continue to appeal for witnesses."
A female police officer was later injured during serious disturbances that flared when they arrived at the scene.
(BMcC)
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