PSNI confirm evidence given to the UK Covid Inquiry - but won't say if Storey funeral documents included

The attendance of senior Sinn Fein figures at the funeral of the former IRA man – including the then-deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill – sparked outrage from members of the public who had been unable to attend funerals of loved ones during the pandemic. It also caused a crisis in the power-sharing administration at Stormont.

Police recommended charges against 24 Sinn Fein politicians, including Ms O’Neill. However the Public Prosecution Service decided that engagement between the PSNI and the organisers ahead of the funeral – as well as unclear regulations – meant that successful prosecutions were not possible.

There were restrictions on public gatherings in place at the time, and the event brought large crowds onto the streets of west Belfast.

The PSNI told the News Letter “Former Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd, who was the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Gold Commander for Covid-19, provided a statement and documentation for the inquiry, which will hear evidence in Belfast in 2024”.

However police would not comment on whether any of the material related to the Storey funeral.

Mr Todd stood down earlier this year after a 30 year career in policing, in which he led the PSNI’s response to pandemic. Confusion over Stormont’s covid rules led to police being accused of overstepping the mark with regard to enforcement action they took on the issue such as stopping vehicles. For example, in January 2021 Stormont regulations enforced a ‘stay at home’ measure – but with significant exemptions such as work and exercise. However a ban on “unnecessary travel” was guidance and not legally enforceable.