PSNI meets LGBT group in bid to 'restore confidence'

You are viewing content from Q Newry and Mourne 100.5. Would you like to make this your preferred location?

Monday, 17 October 2016 09:18

The police have met with an LGBT group to restore their confidence in them.

Newry Rainbow Community filed a complaint with the police ombudsman.
It was after failings in police handling of a homophobic hate crime last month.
Five men from the Rainbow Community were beaten as they left the Pride festival.
Two were hospitalised.
Newry Rainbow Community's Ruairi Rafferty says the meeting was "a positive experience."

"The chief inspector that met with us Gillian West... she came in she was very honest there was no holds barred.
And she really was very keen for the police to work with our community going forward.

"They obviously have apologised on a number of occasions for the way in which it was dealt with.
Certainly they weren't aware initially that it was a hate crime until it was brought to their attention."