Ombudsman to look at officer's complaint

Policing Board has taken legal advice over the case

A complaint by the former head of special branch in Belfast that he was forced out of his job has been referred to the Police Ombudsman.

Bill Lowry's complaint was considered at a meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast on Wednesday

Speaking afterwards, board chairman Professor Desmond Rea said the case was being passed to the ombudsman's office for legal reasons.

"This matter of complaint falls within the remit of the ombudsman," he said.

Desmond Rea denied passing the buck

Professor Rea denied passing the buck saying: "We have taken the decision according to the legal advice we have received."

Last month, Bill Lowry retired earlier than expected from his post.

At the same time, it emerged that the Chief Constable, Hugh Orde, had ordered an investigation into leaks to the media on the inquiry into the break-in at Castlereagh security complex last March and the investigation into alleged IRA spying at Stormont.

In a disciplinary charge, Mr Lowry was accused of disclosing information to the media and was also told he was being transferred from his post.

That charge was later withdrawn and he retired as head of Special Branch in Belfast on 18 November.

Telephone call

But he believes he was "forced out" and told the Policing Board he felt humiliated, degraded, embarrassed and betrayed.

He had asked the board to appoint people with the "highest security clearance" to look into the matter - and claimed a telephone call from London led to the action that was taken against him.

Bill Lowry: Former head of Belfast Special Branch

But the chief constable has denied coming under any political pressure to seek the removal of Mr Lowry from his post.

Speaking last Thursday, he said he was dismayed to lose all experienced officers.

"However, if an officer chooses to retire, it's entirely appropriate for them to do that," he said.

'Tip-off'

Explaining the background to the issue, BBC Northern Ireland security editor Brian Rowan said it stemmed back to 'Operation Torsion' - a Special Branch and MI5 operation targeting the IRA.

"The tip-off which put special branch onto the IRA came from a special branch informer.

"Some time before that arrest operation on 4 October - including the controversial raid on Sinn Fein offices at Stormont - the police, MI5 and the Northern Ireland Office knew the IRA had infiltrated the Northern Ireland Office and the IRA had information on prison officers."

He said Mr Orde had since ordered an investigation into leaks to the media.

He also said Mr Lowry's retirement was "not straightforward".

"There is a background to that retirement. Bill Lowry retired on Monday 18 November. Three days earlier he was served with disciplinary papers at police headquarters.

"The disciplinary charge that was put to him, as I understand it, was that without the proper authority of the chief constable, at a date and time unknown, he had disclosed confidential information regarding an ongoing operation to the media.

"Before he retired on Monday 18, that disciplinary charge was withdrawn."