Body found days after abandoned car

Published Wednesday, 13 February 2013

The Police Ombudsman is investigating the circumstances leading up to the discovery of a man's body just outside of Ballymena in Co Antrim.

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It is feared the 33-year-old may have been there for a number of days.

The man's body was found on the Tullynamullan Road on Tuesday morning by police after he was reported missing on Sunday.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Police have now confirmed that an abandoned car was recovered on the same stretch of country lane after it was reported on 7 February, around six days earlier.

They said when they were made aware of the car by neighbours and that they tried to locate the owner but were unsuccessful.

A statement from the PSNI explained: "Attempts were made to locate the owner, at the address detailed on registration documentation.

"The vehicle was subsequently recovered by police."

Neighbours said they were only alerted to the vehicle because it was parked in the middle of the road blocking anyone getting past.

One local woman told UTV she was "shocked" to think there had been a body there.

She said: "I'm really annoyed because I'd been up that road on Monday on my bicycle and to think that some chap was lying there has really annoyed me."

TUV leader Jim Allister said there are questions to be answered.

"There would appear to be a number of questions here which arise," said the MLA.

"Whereas we don't know all the facts, if it turns out the find of the body was linked to the find of the car at this location as far back as Thursday, and the body not found until Tuesday, then there's the obvious question of how that could be."

Police said the incident has been referred to the Ombudsman.

Comments

4 Comments

Brian in Newry wrote (97 days ago):

Without the full knowledge of the facts concerning this unfortunate person, it is impossible to pass comment. As usual in this wee country some are too quick to pass uninformed judgement. Thank goodness we have a judicial system and the independent ombudsman or the lynch mob would have us all hanged!

Ian in Carrickfergus wrote (97 days ago):

Ballycastle - how can you blame the police? They respond to an abandoned car, they check who the vehicle was registered to and they are unable to make contact. How were they to know a body was nearby, the crystal ball isn't police issue equipment. If the car was on your road would you be asking them to look for a body.... I think not!

OldSod in Fermanagh wrote (98 days ago):

Ballycastle in Ballycastle, don't be silly,... if the police were to conduct a search every time they find an abandoned car, they would be doing little else. They are not mind readers or clairvoyant. To accuse the police of laziness is puerile and childish, when in reality the police resolve hundreds if not thousands of missing persons reports each year. It was the police who located this poor mans remains not long after he was reported missing (how is NOT getting SAR to do the leg work for the police lazy?). Jim Allister is an opportunist seeking some media attention and political exposure from some family's tragedy,....

Ballycastle in Ballycastle wrote (99 days ago):

How do the psni explain this? There are voluntary search and rescue teams based only a matter of miles away!!! Pure laziness from police AGAIN!!!! Call your local SAR teams and use the free resource!