The families of three teenagers who died during a St Patrick's Day disco at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown have said they are 'deeply disappointed' by a decision not to prosecute any PSNI officers involved in the incident.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Public Prosecution Service added that no police officers are to be prosecuted for any offences, but two men aged 55 and 43 are each to be charged with three counts of gross negligence manslaughter. One is understood to be the owner of the hotel.
Morgan Barnard, 17, Lauren Bullock, 17, and Connor Currie, 16, died in an incident on St Patrick’s Day 2019 at the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown, Co Tyrone .
READ MORE: Greenvale tragedy: Two people to be prosecuted for offences linked to teenagers' deaths
In a statement Morgan's father James Bradley said the families of the victims will be seeking a review of the decision.
The statement says: “We welcome today’s decision to initiate criminal proceedings into the events of 17th March 2019 in which we lost our son, Morgan.
"This aspect of the decision confirms what we always knew; that there is a case to answer for the manslaughter of our son. We now look forward to engaging in the trial process in the months ahead.
"It is however deeply disappointing that the PPS have taken a decision to keep those Police Officers involved, out of the dock. This is a decision we do not intend on accepting.
"We have instructed our lawyers to immediately engage with the PPS in seeking a review into this decision not to prosecute. In light of the pending criminal process, we do not intend on saying anything further at this time”
A solicitor for Morgan Barnard's family welcomed the decision to bring charges in the case, but said it 'does not bring a clean bill of health' for the police officers involved.
Questions were raised in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy about how the fatal crush happened and how police officers reacted to the unfolding situation.
“Today’s news is a welcome development in what has been a prolonged campaign by our clients for truth and justice for the events at the Greenvale Hotel," Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law said.
"Whilst today is a positive step in the right direction, it comes with a disappointing development, insofar as the decision not to prosecute those Police Officers in question.
"It is difficult to square the circle of the PPS decision, with the facts of this case. This decision does not provide a clean bill of health for those officers’ actions at the centre of this investigation.
"For those reasons, there remain important questions unaddressed within the decision making process. The family do not accept the rationale of the PPS decision, and for those reasons, we are instructed to immediately engage with the PPS in seeking an urgent review of the decision not to prosecute.”
Speaking at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: "I think it falls to me and the team to extend our deepest sympathy to the families.
"We all acknowledge it's been a long time coming and it will be an understandably difficult day for them.
"Because we are in live court proceedings, we would not be wanting to make any further comment."
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said their own internal measures were continuing: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland referred itself to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the incident.
"Following the direction not to prosecute any police officers, the misconduct investigation undertaken by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is still live and we will await receipt of their report and any recommendations in due course.”
READ NEXT:
- Greenvale tragedy: Victim’s family raise funds to build classrooms in Tanzania on third anniversary
- Greenvale Hotel tragedy: Police Ombudsman hands file to prosecutors
- Greenvale tragedy: Connor Currie's mum's pride at charity legacy inspired by her son
- Greenvale hotel crush: Five PSNI officers to be investigated by Ombudsman
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
