Police 'failed' over gates death

Mr Connolly died after being crushed in the gate

The police are guilty of "corporate failure" after a man died at a County Tyrone police station two years ago, the Police Ombudsman has said.

Ciaran Connelly, 28, died after being crushed by large gates as he tried to leave Strabane police station.

Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan said her investigation had found the safety mechanism on the gates was not working.

The PSNI said they took the ombudsman's finding very seriously. They said they had spent £0.5m improving gate safety.

Mr Connelly, from Castlegrange in the town, was taken to Altnagelvin hospital in Londonderry after the incident in March 2003.

However, he later died of injuries to his head and upper body.

Mrs Nuala O'Loan said she had no powers to take action against the police in this context.

"I have powers to take action against individual officers, but the individual officers who were there that night did all they could to stop it happening and to save this young man," she said.

She said that a fault with the gate's sensors was initially reported in the late summer of 2002, but it was not fixed, despite contractors being notified on a number of occasions.

So far, some £500,000 has been spent in improving gate safety, the work is being constantly monitored PSNI

She said: "Ultimately, no one took responsibility for ensuring that the critical work to rectify the situation was done.

"There clearly was a corporate failure by PSNI in that they did not have adequate systems to ensure the gates were made safe.

"The two people on duty were confronted with a situation on the night in question which required quick thinking and a positive response.

"Their actions did not reflect any degree of human error.

"They have quite simply been let down by a failure within PSNI, as an organisation, to properly manage and maintain vital electrical equipment."

Mrs O'Loan made 16 recommendations designed to ensure the gates at Strabane were made safe and that the problem was not repeated at other police stations.

The death has also been investigated by the police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

'Risk assessments'

The report added: "It (the HSE) is still considering what if any charges should be brought against the PSNI corporately."

The PSNI said it would study the ombudsman's findings in detail and that it "regretted" Mr Connolly's death.

"She (Mrs O'Loan) has said that the organisation was guilty of what she describes as corporate failure in relation to the safety of the gates," it said.

"She adds that the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland is still considering whether any charges should be brought against the Police Service corporately.

"We take her findings very seriously."

The spokeswoman said the PSNI's own Health and Safety Branch carried out an internal investigation and risk assessments at access gates to all police buildings.

As a result, a working group made 17 recommendations which the force said had been mirrored by the ombudsman's report and the HSE.

The spokeswoman added: "So far, some £500,000 has been spent in improving gate safety. The work is being constantly monitored."