Ex-chief officer ponders ‘damage to reputation’ after no charges over police vehicle contracts` arrest

A retired chief officer who was arrested in an investigation over the awarding of police vehicle contracts is considering taking legal action against his old force.

Former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)assistant chief constable Duncan McCausland was arrested 18 months ago and was questioned for three days. He has now been told he will not face any charges.

He had criticised his former employer for arresting him, because he had volunteered to assist the investigation. He also plans to lodge a formal complaint with the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland.

The former officer was one of nine men questioned in an investigation into bribery and misconduct in public office centred round the awarding of police vehicle contracts.

Prosecutors have concluded that the available evidence did not provide a reasonable prospect of conviction of any of the suspects. They included the chairman of the largest independently owned vehicle retailer in Northern Ireland, Terence Donnelly of the Donnelly Group.

It has already been revealed that West Yorkshire Chief Constable Mark Gilmore will not face charges as part of the investigation.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) received files on nine individuals in the investigation and decided not to prosecute any of those reported.

The eight who received notification of a decision on Tuesday (December 22) are a mixture of police employees, former and current officers and civilians.

A PPS statement said: “The decision was taken following a careful consideration of a large and complex file submitted to the PPS by the PSNI. The offences under investigation included bribery and misconduct in public office.

Mr McCausland had strenuously denied any wrongdoing. “This matter can be resolved very quickly in an easy way if Chief Constable George Hamilton, who I know personally, is prepared to offer his regrets for what happened,” Mr McCausland told BBC Radio Ulster.

“But I have to consider everything because my reputation has been damaged.”

He said the allegations against him were not founded on any evidence.

“The police have a unique power, which is to remove someone`s liberty, and that should be as a last resort,” he said.

“There was absolutely no need to remove my liberty or anyone else`s liberty, because people were prepared to fully co-operate with the police.”

Responding to Mr McCausland`s remarks, the PSNI chief constable said he is “wholly content” with the way in which the police dealt with the case.

Welcoming the fact that the process had concluded, Mr Hamilton said he fully respected the direction made by the PPS.

“I am wholly content that the PSNI fulfilled their legal obligations in response to this investigation and reported all available evidence to the PPS,” he said.

“I am also entirely satisfied with the integrity and professionalism of the investigation.

“Prosecutorial decisions are a matter for the PPS.”

Mr McCausland was one of the most high profile PSNI officers before retiring in March 2011, under the Patten redundancy scheme.

Meanwhile Mr Gilmore is currently working for the National Police Chiefs` Council on a `transition project`.

Day to day running of the force is being carried out in his absence by Temporary Chief Constable Dee Collins.

Mr Gilmore was suspended from duty, by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson, in June 2014, during a criminal investigation by the PSNI, where he had previously worked.

The suspension was lifted in May this year after the investigation concluded he had no criminal case to answer.

However, he has not resumed his role as chief constable.