Probe into incident at NI police ombudsman’s home ‘to conclude within weeks’

Officers attended Marie Anderson’s address on September 23 following a report of a domestic incident.

Marie Anderson previously faced calls from unionist politicians to stand aside during the investigation (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Archive)

An investigation into an incident at the home of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is set to conclude within weeks, the PSNI interim chief constable has said.

Officers attended Marie Anderson’s address on September 23 following a report of a domestic incident.

A man was arrested as part of those inquiries and later released pending a report to prosecutors.

West Midlands Police are investigating the incident.

Ms Anderson previously faced calls from unionist politicians to stand aside during the investigation.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) interim chief constable Jon Boutcher told a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on Thursday that it was a live investigation.

“The position is that I can’t comment on it,” he said.

I think it's helpful for everyone to know that I anticipate a resolution of that matter to be in weeks rather than months because that's in the interests of everybody involved

PSNI interim chief constable Jon Boutcher

“I brought in West Midlands Police to provide independence around the assessment of what we have already done and any further inquiries that needed to be conducted.

“I think it’s helpful for everyone to know that I anticipate a resolution of that matter to be in weeks rather than months because that’s in the interests of everybody involved.

“We have got to give West Midlands though the time to do that job and I won’t be commentating any further on that.”