Derry judge angry at PSNI officer’s non-appearance in court

The non-attendence of a police officer at an assault case in Derry Magistrates Court yesterday has angered a district judge.
As the Chief Constable of the PSNI Matt Baggot announced his new commitments to the public, District Judge Barney Mc Elholm warned he will be seeking disciplinary actions against a police officer if notes and files in the case are not handed over by May 9.
The court was told that the officer dealing with the case had been transferred and there had been no progress in securing medical notes and records.
Judge McElholm said: “What I find completely unsatisfactory is that there is a police officer out there who does not realise that when he starts an investigation it must be completed”.
The judge directed that all the relevant material had to be handed over by May 9 by the investigating officer.
He went on: “If not I will complain to the District Commander that this must be a disciplinary matter.”
He said that there had been a ‘gross delay and an inexcusable delay’ and said if the notes were not handed over then the investigating officer must attend court on that date.