A Police Ombudsman investigation has found no evidence that police made inappropriate payments to help a prosecution witness (Witness A) give evidence during a Crown Court trial.
The Chief Constable asked the Police Ombudsman to investigate after concerns were raised that police may have helped facilitate Witness A's appearance at court by paying her accommodation costs.
The issue arose when a Senior Public Prosecutor at the Public Prosecution Service reported that, during a meeting with police on 6 February 2008, an officer had made comments which suggested that police had offered financial inducements to Witness A.
Witness A, a foreign national with little spoken English, was due to give evidence at Crown Court against a man - also a foreign national with whom she had been co-habiting - accused of committing a serious offence against her. The man was also due to stand trial on a separate very serious matter.
The officer in question was interviewed by Police Ombudsman investigators and explained that the issue had arisen as a result of a misunderstanding. The officer said that Witness A had had asked that police help pay for her accommodation costs, but this had been declined.
Police Ombudsman investigators also obtained statements from a number of interpreters who had been contracted by police to facilitate interviews and meetings with Witness A. The interpreters had no knowledge of any inducements being offered to Witness A to secure her co-operation. They did say, however, that Witness A had raised her financial situation with police on a number of occasions.
Investigators also investigated the source of payments for Witness A's accommodation during the period she was contact with police. These enquiries established that Witness A had been accommodated at a women's refuge and had paid herself for any costs associated with it.
The financial records of the refuge were also examined, and these confirmed that no third party had made any payment towards Witness A's accommodation.
In addition, police records were reviewed, and these showed that Witness A had made a request for financial assistance, but the request was documented as having been declined.
The Police Ombudsman therefore concluded that there was no evidence to support disciplinary action being taken against any police officer.