'Huge' level of work needed in investigating ex-PSNI officer accused of rape

The workload entailed in an investigation into alleged sexual offences against a number of potential victims by a former police officer is believed to be "absolutely huge", a Northern Ireland assembly member has said.

The former officer was arrested by Police Ombudsman investigators last December on suspicion of "more than ten" non-recent offences, including rape and misconduct in public office.

But the Alliance Party's Nuala McAllister believes the incidents, alleged to have occurred between 2000 and 2009, number in the hundreds.

She also raised concern over the extent to which the Police Service of Northern Ireland was aware of the suspect's behaviour at the time of the alleged offending.

Some of the incidents involved in the ombudsman's investigation are believed to have taken place in police custody suites, the Nolan Show understands.

Earlier, Police Ombudsman Hugh Hume said in a statement that the investigation has identified "multiple potential victims together with a substantial number of witnesses".

The PSNI said it "welcomes and will fully co-operate with the investigation".

McAllister told the Nolan Show that when she first became aware of the accused's arrest last year, her "understanding was that is was going to be absolutely huge, in terms of the level of work that was going to be required of the ombudsman, and the number of victims".

Sinn Féin Mid Ulster MLA Linda Dillon also commented on the number of alleged incidents.

"Since we're hearing that there are potentially over a hundred incidents in relation to this case, I'm glad to hear that the police ombudsman's office is going to put immense resources into investigating this," she said.

McAllister added that she had some concerns about the PSNI's approach.

The alleged offending dates back to 2000, the year before the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) disbanded and was replaced by the PSNI.

McAllister said she has been told there had been an internal investigation in the PSNI and that "there are questions about how this officer actually left the force".

"My understanding is that the person was not fired; that they were allowed to resign instead," she added.

Earlier, the ombudsman chief executive Hugh Hume said investigators had seized "a large volume of material, including a significant amount of digital evidence".

"We understand that this news may be distressing for anyone who has been affected or harmed or who has been harmed by a similar experience.

"We would like to reassure victims that they are not to blame and if they choose to contact us, we will listen, we will investigate and we will do so independently from police."

Hume said he will be allocating "all available resources" to ensure the investigation will be "victim-centred, effective and efficient".

"Our resources are finite and this means that the timeliness of our other casework may be affected.

"However, this is the reality of balancing the demands of our complaints across the office with the need to progress this complex and expanding investigation.

"If we do not prioritise now, in the long term we risk compromising the service we provide to complainants and victims, and public confidence in this office and the PSNI."

SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath said Humes' statement spoke to wider issues about the resources available to the ombudsman's office.

"An ombudsman, whenever they are carrying out their work, should not have to prioritise their workload, they should be able to deliver their workload."

McGrath said this was of particular importance given the history of policing in Northern Ireland.

"Especially in the infrastructure that we have in terms of policing here in Northern Ireland, it's important that if the ombudsman has a complaint, they are able to investigate it immediately."