Minister rules out judge-led inquiry into Storey funeral

The North’s Minister of Justice Naomi Long has said there is “no substantive rationale” for a further judge-led inquiry into the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey.

Following a meeting with the PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne, Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie wrote to Ms Long over the weekend, urging a “short, sharp inquiry” to address “gaps in knowledge” over the police handling of the controversy.

But Alliance leader Ms Long appeared to rule out such an investigation.

“There isn’t any substantive rationale given as to why a further inquiry would be required,” the East Belfast MLA told BBC’s Sunday Politics.

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Ms Long said the PSNI had investigated the funeral “thoroughly” and the North’s Public Prosecution Service was reviewing its decision not to prosecute more than 20 Sinn Féin figures who attended the 2,000-strong gathering last June during a time of public health restrictions.

There was also an “extensive” report into the affair by UK policing watchdog Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

Mr Byrne has yet to respond to the Policing Board, the North’s police oversight body, about the HMIC report, and the board will be able to interrogate him about its findings and commission its own inquiry if it felt necessary, Ms Long said.

The police ombudsman could also pursue complaints made to that body, Ms Long said.

“There are adequate ways through the current mechanisms for us to look at issues with the report and the policing operation,” she said, adding that politicians “need to respect” the independence of the oversight bodies.

“We are coming pretty close to the line in terms of calling for political intervention in matters quite rightly independent of political office,” said Ms Long.

Funeral attendance

The HMIC report last week found that prosecutors were right not to pursue legal action against Sinn Féin politicians for allegedly breaching Covid-19 regulations in attending the funeral.

It found there was “no realistic prospect of them being convicted” and that the PSNI had prioritised public security over enforcement of the public health regulations “without biasing one community over another”.

It cited a lack of clarity over the regulations in place at the time as well as prior communications between Sinn Féin and the PSNI around the planning of the funeral.

Mike Nesbitt, UUP Strangford MLA and a member of the Policing Board, said his party was calling for a further inquiry because the HMIC report was “lacking in detail” about communications between the PSNI and Sinn Féin around the funeral.

A judge would take “a few weeks only” to review all the papers so the issue could be “put to bed” and full confidence and support given to chief constable Byrne and his leadership team, he said.

On suggestions of a police ombudsman investigation, Mr Nesbitt said the ombudsman “investigates wrongdoing and we are not suggesting there has been wrongdoing”.