A high court judge quashes decisions to suspend a probationary constable and re-position his colleague.
Uniformed officers arrested a man at the memorial on Belfast's Ormeau Road in February 2021
A service marking the anniversary of the February 1992 Sean Graham bookmakers attack in which five people were murdered and nine others injured by the UFF was being held. Chief Constable Simon Byrne later apologised for the incident and confirmed the disciplinary steps taken against the two recently recruited officers.
A chief inspector who served him with the notice allegedly remarked that it was the first time in 30 years that he disagreed with a suspension decision, but was following lawful orders.Counsel for the officers argued that the PSNI got it wrong by focusing on the fallout, rather than the seriousness of any alleged misconduct.
At the time Sinn Féin's deputy first minister, Michelle O'Neill, tweeted about an apparent culture of double standards in the PSNI and of "turning a blind eye to UDA and UVF thugs, while targeting those laying flowers on the anniversary of loved ones".
"Both the deputy chief constable and the chief constable were acutely aware of the threat of Sinn Féin withdrawing support for policing and/or withdrawing from the Policing Board if immediate action was not taken in respect of the officers' duty status," he said.
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