Two Police Service of Northern Ireland officers have been sacked for taking videos and photos of 18 vulnerable people they had been sent to help, including a woman with learning difficulties filmed in bed and asked about her sex life. Police Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin called their conduct 'utterly despicable'.
The officers, identified as Officers A and B, recorded people who had requested assistance, reported crimes, were intoxicated or considered at risk of self-harm over a period from 2016 to 2021. Some of the material was shared on WhatsApp, including with a member of the public, and contained 'sexualised, derogatory and demeaning commentary', the ombudsman found.
Officer A filmed a woman with complex needs in her bedroom after being sent to her home in 2021 following a report of concern for her safety. The video, in which Officer B also appeared, included sexualised comments. When the woman told them she was recording them on her tablet, Officer A said they were having the 'craic' and told her to 'lighten up'.
On learning of the footage, the woman told investigators she was unaware she was being recorded and felt 'disgusted', the ombudsman said.
The officers' actions came to light during a separate investigation into Officer A over an alleged relationship with a woman he met on duty. His home and workplace were searched and electronic devices seized. That investigation led to no action, but the material found on his phones triggered further inquiries.
Five videos on Officer A's phone showed an elderly and apparently vulnerable man filmed in his home and from a police car, with the officer making mocking comments about his sex life. Other recordings captured women involved in a neighbour dispute, one of whom was intoxicated, without their knowledge.
Officer B took photos of two vulnerable women and shared them with Officer A along with derogatory messages. He told investigators he was a junior officer and that Officer A was his Probationary Support Officer, saying he was 'trying to fit in' and would not have acted that way otherwise.
Durkin said: 'Almost all of the people affected by these actions were vulnerable, some extremely so. These now former officers showed no respect for people's privacy or dignity at their time of need and seriously undermined their trust and confidence in policing. They were unworthy of the role of police officer and it is only right that they have been dismissed from the PSNI.'
The ombudsman submitted files to the Public Prosecution Service concerning potential misconduct in public office by Officer A and potential data protection offences by both. The PPS directed no prosecution, saying 'there was insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction' and that data protection proceedings were already statute-barred by the time it received the files.
Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton described the conduct as 'horrifying' and said it 'falls far below the standards the public is entitled to expect from police officers'. He added: 'We are sorry that individuals who sought the assistance of police were let down in this way.'
Officer A was dismissed in 2025 following an internal PSNI investigation into evidence of racist, sexist and misogynistic memes shared among officers. Officer B was dismissed for gross misconduct in July 2026. A third officer, Officer C, who received a video from Officer A and later returned it without reporting it, received a final written warning. A fourth officer present during one recording faced no action after stating they were unaware of it.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case represents a profound breach of trust by officers supposed to protect the most vulnerable members of society, shaking confidence in policing in Northern Ireland.
- Prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges due to time limits and evidence thresholds, meaning no criminal accountability despite the ombudsman finding serious misconduct.
- The dismissals follow a pattern of disciplinary cases within the PSNI involving abuse of position, raising questions about oversight and culture.
Background
The PSNI has faced a series of misconduct cases in recent years. In August 2026, an officer was sacked for starting a sexual relationship with a woman he met on duty. In July 2026, two officers were dismissed for sexually assaulting colleagues. The ombudsman has previously expressed concern over the number of sexual abuse of position cases. The two officers in this case were identified only as Officers A and B; their full names have not been released.
Key Perspectives
Police Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin: Called the conduct 'utterly despicable' and said the officers 'showed no respect for people's privacy or dignity at their time of need' and 'were unworthy of the role of police officer'.
Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton: Described the conduct as 'horrifying' and said it 'falls far below the standards the public is entitled to expect from police officers'.
Policing Board vice-chair Mukesh Sharma: Said the officers showed a 'callous disregard' for people at their most vulnerable and their actions were 'the antithesis of the professionalism that we rightly expect'.
Justice Minister Naomi Long: Called the actions 'abhorrent, wholly unacceptable and completely indefensible' and said there is 'no place in our police service for officers who behave in this way'.
Public Prosecution Service: Said it directed no prosecution because 'there was insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction' and proceedings for data protection offences were already statute-barred.
Officer B (through ombudsman): Stated he was a junior officer and was 'trying to fit in', adding he would not have acted that way had he not met Officer A.
What to Watch
- Whether the ombudsman or PSNI makes any further recommendations to close the gap that prevented criminal prosecution.
- Possible civil claims by the 18 victims identified in the report.
- Any broader review of PSNI culture and WhatsApp use among officers.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 3 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says PSNI officers were sacked for 'despicable' filming of vulnerable people.BBC Northern Ireland: “Police officers sacked for 'despicable' on-duty filming of vulnerable people”
- SupportedTwo PSNI officers were sacked for taking videos and photos of 18 vulnerable people they had been sent to help.BBC Northern Ireland: “Two male Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers have been sacked for taking videos and photos of 18 vulnerable people they had been sent to help.”
- SupportedOne woman with learning difficulties was filmed in bed and asked about her sex life.BBC Northern Ireland: “In one video, a woman with learning difficulties was filmed in bed and asked about her sex life.”
- SupportedJacqui Durkin called the officers' behaviour 'utterly despicable'.BBC Northern Ireland: “Police Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin said their behaviour had been "utterly despicable".”
- SupportedThe recordings covered people who requested assistance, reported crimes, were intoxicated or were considered at risk of self-harm, between 2016 and 2021.BBC Northern Ireland: “He was found to have taken videos and pictures of people who had requested assistance, reported crimes, were intoxicated or considered at risk of self-harm. ... They spanned a period between 2016 and 2021.”
- SupportedSome of the material was shared on WhatsApp, including with a member of the public, and contained sexualised, derogatory and demeaning commentary.BBC Northern Ireland: “Some of the videos and pictures taken by the officers were shared on WhatsApp, including with a member of the public, and contained "sexualised, derogatory and demeaning commentary".”
- SupportedIn the bedroom video, Officer B also appeared.RTÉ News: “He also featured in the video recorded by Officer A in the bedroom of the woman with complex needs during which sexual comments were made.”
- SupportedWhen the woman said she was recording them on her tablet, Officer A said they were having the 'craic' and told her to 'lighten up'.The Independent UK: “Officer A claimed they were having "craic" and instructed the woman to "lighten up".”
- SupportedThe woman told investigators she had not known she was being recorded and felt disgusted.The Independent UK: “Upon being shown the footage by Police Ombudsman investigators, the woman stated she was unaware she was being recorded and felt "disgusted".”
- SupportedThe footage came to light during a separate investigation into an alleged relationship between Officer A and a woman he met on duty; that investigation led to no formal action against him.The Independent UK: “The officers’ conduct came to light during a 2021 investigation into an allegation that Officer A had abused his position for a sexual purpose by forming a relationship with a woman met on duty. ... Although the initial inquiry into the alleged improper relationship led to no formal action against him”
- SupportedThe PPS directed no prosecution and said there was insufficient evidence for a reasonable prospect of conviction; data protection proceedings were already statute-barred when it received the files.BBC Northern Ireland: “The PPS directed that neither should be prosecuted. ... "there was insufficient evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction". It said that proceedings for data protection offences were "already statute barred"”
- SupportedOfficer A was dismissed in 2025, and Officer B was dismissed for gross misconduct in July 2026.The Independent UK: “Following an internal PSNI Professional Standards investigation into evidence of racist, sexist, and misogynistic memes shared among police officers, Officer A was sacked in 2025. Officer B was dismissed for gross misconduct in July 2026”