The family of a suicide victim in Belfast described feeling “physically ill” over allegations that two Northern Ireland police officers had taken pictures and videos of his body and shared them online, the BBC reported.
The incident is said to have taken place five years ago and one of the officers involved has been suspended with full pay while an investigation is underway by the police ombudsman.
After his son’s death, the victim’s father said it took 18 months to become aware of the allegations.
The victim’s sister said her brother’s genitals had been exposed and photographed. The family was also told that the two officers had moved the victim’s body across the room to pose for photos and videos.
It is also claimed that the speech bubble was later edited in the photos before they were shared. The victim’s sister said one of the speech bubbles read “taig,” which is a derogatory term for Catholics.
The family said the incident added to their trauma, while their lawyer has compared the case to that of two London police officers jailed for taking and sharing photos of two murdered sisters.
The man’s father said he is “physically ill” to this day because of the way his late son was treated.
“Those police officers were in the house while I was there — asking me to leave the room — and I did everything they asked me to at the time,” he said.
“And the one thing that keeps coming back to me is why I left the room, because that must have been when they did it, when they took the pictures.”
The police ombudsman’s inquiry is part of a wider investigation that covers 11 different but related allegations.
The Ombudsman has confirmed that several arrests have been made and that the allegations include misconduct, harassment and the suspected supply of drugs.
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt described the revelations as “an absolute scandal”.
Speaking to the BBC, Police Commissioner Nesbitt said he is deeply concerned about the transparency in the police’s information flow.
It comes after it was revealed that around 130 police officers are currently under investigation for gross misconduct in Northern Ireland, revealed at the latest public meeting of the Northern Ireland Police Board on Thursday.
The former Ulster Unionist Party leader said he suspects this is “a very high number” compared to other armed forces in the UK.
“If it’s true – then it’s an absolute scandal… I’m very concerned and have been bothered by the flow of information from the PSNI to the police board for some time,” he said.
“We can only hold them accountable for what we know is happening.”
The lawyer for the victim’s family, Pádraig Ó Muirigh, said the five-year wait for justice was unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Marie Anderson, the police ombudsman for Northern Ireland, said all aspects of the case “will be fully and thoroughly investigated”.
“After the criminal justice aspects are finalized, I will consider recommendations to the chief of police in terms of disciplinary action,” she said.
“Anyone affected by these incidents can rest assured that we have given this matter the priority and careful attention it deserves, and we will continue to do so.”