Multiple potential victims have been identified in a police watchdog investigation into allegations of rape and other serious sexual offences by a former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer.
The alleged offences were carried out between 2000 and 2009 when the individual was a serving police officer, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland confirmed on Tuesday.
Such is the scale of its investigation that the ombudsman’s office warned that other cases may be affected as it is “allocating all available resources” to the investigation.
Police ombudsman investigators arrested the ex-officer in December 2025 on suspicion of committing “more than 10 non-recent offences”, including rape, other sexual offences, and misconduct in public office.
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Alliance Party MLA Nuala McAllister said she believed there were “hundreds” of alleged offences.
McAllister sits on the Northern Ireland Policing Board, the oversight body for the PSNI. She was made aware of the arrest last year and said it was her understanding that the investigation would be “absolutely huge”.
Hugh Hume, the office’s chief executive, said he understood the news may be “distressing” for anyone affected and appealed for potential victims to come forward to the independent body.
“We have identified multiple potential victims, together with a substantial number of witnesses. We have also seized a large volume of material, including a significant amount of digital evidence, during a search operation,” he said.
“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 his team wanted to ensure the investigation was carried out “in the most timely manner possible” after “the victim impact, scale and complexity” became clear in recent months.
“Our resources are finite and this means that the timeliness of our other casework may be affected,” he said.
“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 the case is not prioritised, there will be a long-term risk of “compromising the service we provide to complainants and victims, and public confidence in this office and the PSNI”, Hume added.
The PSNI said it “welcomes and will fully co-operate with the investigation”.
The development comes a week after the police ombudsman revealed that a 14-year-old girl was among the victims of “predatory” behaviour by PSNI officers accused of abuse of position for sexual purposes.
More than 60 cases of such abuse have been reported since 2018, with each alleged victim classed as being a “vulnerable” individual.
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said the scale of the police watchdog investigation into the ex-police officer will “send shock waves throughout the whole community”.
“The alleged sexual offences, including rape by a retired officer, are on a substantial scale,” he said.
“The first thoughts of most people will be with those victims and how long they have been suffering – some silently and afraid. Our hope is that this investigation, while being complex, will bring truth and justice as quickly as possible.
“Anyone with any information should feel safe in bringing that information to the ombudsman.”
Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie said it was appropriate that the case was being prioritised by the ombudsman.
He said potential victims should be treated “with care”.
Beattie added: “They must be given all the support and information they need as this investigation progresses.
“Those victims and witnesses who may not have come forward yet must be reassured that this is not their fault and be given confidence in the ombudsman’s investigation.
“Giving this case the priority it deserves will create a knock-on effect. This is unfortunate, but given the scale of this case it’s the right thing to do.
“Victims must be at the heart of this serious, multilayered investigation.”
