Ex-officer jailed for harassment

A former police officer who harrassed a mother into looking at photographs of her dead son after he hanged himself has been jailed for three years.

Martin Peter Kift, 44, is the first person to be convicted of psychological wounding in Northern Ireland.

Kift was also convicted of nine counts of indecently assaulting the woman and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Over a two-year period he phoned and called at her home repeatedly, made lewd remarks, caressed and kissed her.

Belfast Crown Court heard his inappropriate behaviour began when he suggested the mother go to the mortuary to identify her 18-year-old son's body after he took his own life in January 2002.

Over the next few months, he harrassed her until she agreed to look at the death scene photographs.

Kift, of Middleton Park, Islandmagee, also gave her a copy of the post-mortem examination report.

He resigned from the police before disciplinary measures could be taken against him.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was happy with the jail term.