Ombudsman says police officer was right to use CS spray on 14 year-old Oakgrove pupil

The Police Ombudsman said a PSNI officer ‘did the right thing’ in using CS spray on a 14 year-old boy at Oakgrove Integrated College.

The incident occurred on January 7 at the school, which is located at Gransha Park, after police received an emergency 999 call  from staff of a teenage boy punching his fist through a glass window and being aggressive and abusive to staff.

Due to the age of the boy, and the fact that the incident had taken place on school grounds, the Police Ombudsman, Dr Michael Maguire (pictured) decided that an independent investigation should be conducted.

After examining CCTV footage and conducting interviews with staff at the school, and the pupil and his parents, Dr Maguire has now ruled that the police officer in question had acted appropriately in spraying the boy with CS gas.

A report has revealed that the officer had attempted to reason with the boy, who was bleeding heavily from the wound in his hand which he sustained after putting his hand through the window.

The officer then warned the pupil that if he did not calm down he would have to use CS Spray, but the boy ignored the warning.

The boy ignored a final warning, after which the officer sprayed him, and was then handcuffed and arrested.

A statement from the Ombudsman’s office said that Dr. Maguire concluded that the officer had ‘done the right thing’.

“This young man had already hurt himself, was bleeding quite badly and needed medical attention,” Dr Maguire said.

“He had also threatened the officer and others and efforts to pacify him seemed to have failed.

"The officer said he feared for the boy’s safety and the safety of others and had no alternative. No one who saw what happened, including the boy himself, is questioning his judgement.”