Father of teenager who was knocked down and killed ‘disgusted’ by actions of police

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

The father of Shannon McQuillan has said he is “disgusted and ashamed” of the actions of police officers who were with his daughter before she was knocked down and killed.

Paul McQuillan said his family has been through seven-and-a-half years of “turmoil” since the death of his daughter in Co Antrim on January 20th, 2018.

A Police Ombudsman report said there had been multiple breaches in the duty of care offered by police to 19-year-old Ms McQuillan.

She died and her boyfriend Owen McFerran (21) sustained life-changing injuries after they were hit by a van near Toomebridge.

It happened after three police officers, a Northern Ireland Ambulance Service paramedic and a trainee emergency technician left them alone on the Moneynick Road.

The Police Ombudsman said officers failed to safeguard the couple’s welfare, complete basic checks in relation to them and recognise the risk of leaving them alone together beside a road.

Mr McQuillan, his wife Colette and daughter Charlene met with representatives of the Police Ombudsman on Tuesday as the report was published.

Mr McQuillan said: “I am glad that this report is now out, albeit seven-and-a-half years after my daughter was killed.

“The family has been through turmoil for seven-and-a-half years.

“It hasn’t been easy, it never will be easy, you never forget about a daughter.

“I am really disgusted and ashamed of the behaviour of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the night in question.

“How they could leave a 19-year-old girl who was drunk, who had a head injury, who was dressed for a nightclub, at half three in the morning in a lay-by and her freezing cold.

“Shannon was not aggressive or anything, never was.”

He added: “By her actions obviously there was a head injury that was doing something to her.

“But to leave her at half three in the morning in freezing conditions and her dressed for a nightclub, if I did it to a dog I would probably do time for cruelty.

“It is unbelievable that professionals in the care system and in the protection system of society came to that conclusion that night and left my daughter there.”

Family solicitor Barry O’Donnell said the death had left a “serious void” within the McQuillan family.

He added: “We will carefully consider the findings of the Police Ombudsman with the family and advise them further.

“The family have already issued High Court civil proceedings last year against the Chief Constable of the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

“They believe the tragic death of Shannon could have been prevented and hope today’s findings provide some vindication for their long held views.”

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally said: “We accept that more could and should have been done by police to prevent the circumstances that preceded Shannon’s death and Owen’s injuries.

“For that we are truly sorry.

“We will now take further time to carefully consider the Ombudsman’s report and assure ourselves that lessons have been learnt particularly around the identification of vulnerability, risk assessment and adherence to service policy.”