Northern Ireland’s chief constable is among three senior police officers being investigated by a police watchdog over allegations of misconduct, criminal conspiracy and criminality in office.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland top officers’ accusers are themselves nine senior experienced police officers, including a former chief constable of West Yorkshire police, it was confirmed on Thursday.

The head of the PSNI, George Hamilton, his deputy Drew Harris and assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton were named by the BBC on Thursday as being at the centre of an inquiry by the police ombudsman’s office in Belfast.

The police ombudsman examines complaints about PSNI-alleged misconduct in the region.

Speaking in Belfast on Thursday at an anti-slavery event , Hamilton said he was confident he would be exonerated.

He said he was “absolutely confident that there will not be misconduct established, adding: “I’m confident in my ability and I have the passion to keep doing this job.”



The complaint against Hamilton and his two colleagues centres on a previous PSNI inquiry into a number of former officers who were accused in 2014 of bribery and fraud relating to vehicle procurement contracts for the force.

After an 18-month investigation none of these officers were charged with any offences on the advice of the Public Prosecution Service.

The nine officers included the former West Yorkshire chief constable Mark Gilmore and former PSNI assistant chief constable Duncan McCausland.

They then contacted the police ombudsman’s office and made allegations that there was criminality in the 2014 investigation. They alleged that PSNI notebooks and journals were changed in order to help secure a conviction against them.

Their solicitor, Ernie Waterworth, said they would seek to prove there was evidence of “serious criminal activity” in the way the PSNI sought to prosecute his clients.

Referring to his clients – all senior police officers with long records of service in Northern Ireland – Waterworth added: “It’s an extremely serious allegation and I have to say my clients thought long and hard before going down this road.”

The PSNI said it robustly rejected the allegations against the force’s current senior commanders, including the chief constable.

“The chief constable, deputy chief constable and other officers completely refute the allegations made against them and are strongly of the view that these complex investigations into the complainants were conducted with professionalism and integrity,” said its statement.

A PSNI spokesperson added: “Whilst ordinarily the police service would limit its responses on matters where it is under investigation, this case has particular and unusual aspects to it.

“This case has been the subject of recent speculative press and media coverage, which has the potential to negatively impact on public confidence in policing.

“We have full confidence in the Oponi [Office of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland] to complete a thorough investigation and we trust that they are left to do so without ongoing public commentary.”

Confirming an investigation into the chief constable and his two colleagues had begun, a police ombudsman spokesman said: “The office is investigating allegations of criminality and misconduct in how this investigation was undertaken by police.

“It has not named the police officers under investigation, but has confirmed that they include a range of officers, including those above the rank of chief superintendent.”

The police ombudsman’s inquiry into the matter would involve six independent investigators and the matter was a “serious incident” for the office of Dr Michael Maguire.

The inquiry is expected to take at least a year and the watchdog has not recommended that any of the three top PSNI commanders be suspended during the investigation.

Gilmore was suspended from his job in West Yorkshire following the controversy that started in 2014. He retired two years later having never returned to duty.

In June, Gilmore voluntarily attended a police interview in Belfast and insisted he had always acted with honesty and integrity. It is understood he has launched a separate legal action against the West Yorkshire force through a judicial review in London.