PSNI break man's thumb

Derry Sinn Féin Councillor Tony Hassan said there is a long way to go on the issue of policing after members of the PSNI assaulted a Derry man on Saturday night 16 November, leaving him with a broken thumb and other injuries.

Patrick Healey said he and his nephew were heading towards Waterloo Place and had reached the junction with Great James Street when a PSNI Land Rover stopped beside them.

"I knew they were looking for trouble the minute they jumped out," he said. "They started to push and abuse me and tried to get me into the Land Rover."

The Derry man said that as they grabbed him he held onto the sides of the vehicle but one of the PSNI members grabbed his thumb and started to bend it back. He added that when they heard the crack of his thumb breaking they seemed to panic. They took him to Strand Road Barracks before bringing him to Altnagelvin hospital.

"While I was there I asked the hospital to note my other marks but the PSNI told them just to treat the thumb as they wanted to take me back to Strand Road," he said.

Healey was eventually released without charge and intends to make an official complaint.

Hassan said "the PSNI seem intent on copying the tactics of the RUC and that means that anyone is fair game. Until we have an accountable police service we are going to continue to have cases like this."