Steve Aiken of UUP cited PSNI for its ‘failure to cooperate with the achievement of the Stormont Standards’

Former UUP captain Steve Aiken told PSNI that the Stormont Standards Observer did not cooperate in the investigation of wrongdoing.

Mr. Aiken was invited several times for an interview by Dr. Melissa McCullough, the association’s standards commissioner, but he did not respond.

He submitted a formal complaint to the police, who presented the case to the prosecution.

The Refugee Protection Service decided not to initiate the case, saying that the evidence test had not been completed.

In a speech to the assembly committee, Dr McCullough said that under Stormont’s law, failure to appear for an interview is a “criminal offence”.

He said the Southern Antrim representative, who called for re-election in May, “did not respect the Seven Principles of Public Life”.

Mr. Aiken categorically denied any wrongdoing on the part of the commissioner and blamed him for the delay in responding to the vacancy on 12 July.

This was followed by a complaint against mr. Aiken denounced Commissioner Shane Fein Maoliosa McHugh for violating the MLA Code of Conduct.

In November 2020, Mr. Aiken told the MLA Finance Committee meeting that he had filed a complaint with Commissioner McHugh.

Controversy ensued over some Sinn Féin offices mistakenly receiving emergency aid grants to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr. Aiken argued that mr. McHugh did not express a desire to receive a grant in his office when Stormont officials attended the commission.

The commissioner examined Mr. Aiken dismissed the charges against Mr. McHugh. The Association’s Standards Committee concluded last year that there had been no violation of the Code.

While investigating the complaint against Mr. Aiken, Dr McCullough stated that since June 7, 2021, he had invited him for an interview twice, but that he had been “unable to get an answer”.

It then issued a formal notice of attendance twice on June 28 and July 7, but the UUP AML Act was not made public. He later reported to PSNI.

In a subsequent written statement to the Commissioner, Mr. Viewer Mr. Aiken. McHugh, claiming he was expressing interest.

The commissioner found that Mr. Aiken violated the MLA by disclosing confidential or protected information and did not always cooperate in the investigation of the monitors.

The Assembly’s Standards Committee suggested that after the elections next May, their successors consider the appropriate sanction to recommend at the next assembly.

The greatest stories from inside Stormont in your inbox

Want the biggest political stories sent directly to you?

Each week, our political journalist Brendan Hughes gathers some of the biggest and most important issues from Belfast and Northern Ireland we think you might be interested in.

With other major Stormont issues under the Northern Ireland Protocol and exclusive interviews, we’ve got you covered.

Sign up for our free newsletter here and we’ll do the rest

“I vehemently deny that I was unable to cooperate with the commissioner,” Aiken said in a statement.

“The letter was delivered from the commissioner on the Friday before the July 12 holiday and I stayed with the carousel owner.

“I did not receive the letter until the proposed date of the meeting with the Counsellor, I informed the member of the Council of the circumstances immediately upon receiving the letter.

“The Commissioner referred the matter to PSNI. Upon completion of the investigation, it was confirmed that no further action would be taken by PSNI or PPS.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: A 59-year-old man volunteered to report to Newtownab Police Station on Thursday, 14 October, where he was questioned by detectives investigating possible criminal charges in violation of the Northern Ireland Assembly Act 31 (Ireland) 2011.

Then the case was referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for consultation.

In a letter to the commissioner in January, prosecutors said no empirical tests had been conducted for the prosecution.