PSNI chief Simon Byrne to meet NI parties over memorial arrest

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne is set for talks with political parties, as he continues to insist he will not quit over pandemic policing mistakes.

The latest controversy saw a man arrested at an event marking the 29th anniversary of the loyalist murders of five people at Sean Graham's bookmakers on Belfast's Ormeau Road.

The chief constable has apologised and one officer has been suspended.

He is set to discuss the fall-out with Sinn Féin, the DUP and SDLP on Monday.

It is understood there will be separate meetings with other parties over a two-day period.

Despite the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin having separate issues with the chief constable's statement of apology on Saturday, Mr Byrne said he has been "very encouraged" by what he heard from people over the weekend.

Background dialogue has taken place, seeking to shore-up support for Mr Byrne after what was his most testing week since becoming PSNI chief constable in July 2019.

On Sunday, Deputy First Minster Minister O'Neill said there is a "crisis in confidence" in policing among nationalists over the PSNI's handling of the commemoration.

The DUP questioned why action was taken against officers before the outcome of a Police Ombudsman inquiry.

In an interview with BBC News NI he said: "I have to reflect personally on what happened. I am not so arrogant I can not listen to criticism and concern.

"I came here to do a job and am determined to see it through. If I walked out, the same issues would be in the in-tray of my successor.

"Sometimes policing and politics buffer up too close and we need to take a step back. We need a period of calm."

Mr Byrne rejected claims by the DUP and the Police Federation that the suspended officer had been "scapegoated" for his role, despite a Police Ombudsman investigation into officer conduct barely having started.

"It is not about scapegoats or putting people under a bus," said Mr Byrne.

"It is not unusual in serious situations to suspend people and we have taken that decision carefully."

He said senior officers had studied body worn camera footage of those who attended the scene.

The chief constable said at this point he could not apologise specifically to Mark Sykes, the man who was arrested, as a police investigation was still ongoing.

Sinn Féin has asked for Mr Sykes not to face further action.

Mr Byrne also revealed that the anniversary event was known about by more senior officers in the district, but it was two probationary constables who came across the scene on Friday.

They both passed out of training college only last summer.

The full circumstances of their deployment will form part of the Ombudsman investigation.

Relatives for Justice, who support the families of the victims of the Ormeau Road gun attack, have rejected police claims that up to 40 people were at the event, when coronavirus regulations limit public gatherings to six.

They said the no more than 15 people were on the street, socially distanced and in household bubbles, representing the families of four of those who were murdered in the 1992 shooting.

They also claim that at no stage were health regulations mentioned by the officers.