Cookstown Hotel owner ‘de-arrested’ over drugs

The PSNI has de-arrested the owner of the Greenvale Hotel, who they said they arrested earlier on today (Wednesday) on suspicion of possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.
Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died after a crush outside the hotel in Cookstown on St Patrick’s Day.
On Tuesday Mr McElhatton was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter along with a man, 40.
In a statement this evening, Michael McElhatton, 52, said: “I have nothing whatsoever to do with drugs.”
Mr McElhatton said: “While I wished to respect the ongoing investigation by the police into the tragic deaths of the three young people at the Greenvale Hotel on St Patrick’s night, I have no choice but to make it completely clear that I have nothing whatsoever to do with drugs.
“I can assure everyone that whatever any suspicions the police have raised about me in relation to anything to do with drugs is totally without any basis.
“I am shocked and horrified that the powdery substance taken by police from the laundry in my house could be drugs.
“Despite there being no basis to these suspicions, they have blackened my name and caused so much upset for so many people especially those who are grieving and distressed over the events at the Greenvale Hotel.”
The PSNI said the de-arrest “follows fast track forensic examination of a suspicious package consisting of a white powder substance and tin foil, found during a search of a house in Moneymore”.