North’s forensic agency under fire after seven policemen acquitted

THE North’s Forensic Science Agency came under fire last night after seven police officers were acquitted over the death of a joyrider.

Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan is to demand answers from FSA chiefs about alleged errors in a report that was central to the court action. The officers were charged in connection with the death of Raymond Boyle, 21, in west Belfast in May 2001. Mr Boyle was the passenger in a stolen Rover Metro which collided with a police Land Rover.

But at Belfast Crown Court yesterday, Deryck Rothwell, aged 33, and Steven Thompson, aged 46, were cleared of causing his death by dangerous driving. They were also acquitted of acts intended to pervert the course of justice along with five colleagues: Robert Hall, aged 37; John Hadley, aged 40; Richard Seve, aged 52; James Long, aged 37 and Alan Calvin, aged 58, all from Grosvenor Road Police Station.