20 December 2002 Edition
Community worker accuses RUC over details
A West Belfast community worker has contacted the Police Ombudsman's Office to raise his concerns over RUC confiscation of his personal details.
Jim Gervin, of St James Forum, says that after he was stopped at an RUC/PSNI checkpoint he was told to produce his documents at Andersontown Barracks.
While in the barracks, an RUC/PSNI member took Gervan's car-insurance slip, saying, as he left the room, that he needed to copy it and speak to the insurance company. However, when he returned about 30 minutes later, the RUC/PSNI member told Gervan that his insurance was invalid and that the insurance company had no record of his policy. The RUC/PSNI member then issued Gervan with an official caution.
On returning home, Gervan phoned his insurance company, which, in turn, said it had received no inquiries about his policy. Gervan, on hearing this, went to Andersontown Barracks to confront the RUC/PSNI member. "He wasn't there, so a RUC/PSNI man took my documents and photocopied them on a copier that was in the corner of the room," he said.
"In light of the numerous cases of nationalists' details being passed on to loyalists, I would like to know where that RUC/PSNI man went with my personal details for almost 30 minutes. I have made a complaint to the Ombudsman and would like this matter fully investigated."
Jim Gervin, of St James Forum, says that after he was stopped at an RUC/PSNI checkpoint he was told to produce his documents at Andersontown Barracks.
While in the barracks, an RUC/PSNI member took Gervan's car-insurance slip, saying, as he left the room, that he needed to copy it and speak to the insurance company. However, when he returned about 30 minutes later, the RUC/PSNI member told Gervan that his insurance was invalid and that the insurance company had no record of his policy. The RUC/PSNI member then issued Gervan with an official caution.
On returning home, Gervan phoned his insurance company, which, in turn, said it had received no inquiries about his policy. Gervan, on hearing this, went to Andersontown Barracks to confront the RUC/PSNI member. "He wasn't there, so a RUC/PSNI man took my documents and photocopied them on a copier that was in the corner of the room," he said.
"In light of the numerous cases of nationalists' details being passed on to loyalists, I would like to know where that RUC/PSNI man went with my personal details for almost 30 minutes. I have made a complaint to the Ombudsman and would like this matter fully investigated."