Residents have questioned the Police’s handling of a series of events over the weekend which culminated in a public safety warning and a man’s arrest.
The incidents left one man with serious injuries requiring transfer to a UK hospital and a second person shaken after a separate incident.
Inspector Wendy Barker and Sergeant Chris Beaumont addressed a crowded meeting at Dhoon Church Hall on Tuesday evening where residents asked many questions about how the Constabulary handled the whole situation.
The meeting focused on events in Cornaa, but while Inspector Barker, who explained neither office present was on duty over the weekend, was speaking, residents challenged the Police’s official timeline.
They claimed the Constabulary had been made aware of other serious incidents before Monday.
Timeline
Inspector Barker explained that Police had originally been contacted by a family concerned for a man’s welfare and launched a “high risk” missing person appeal on Sunday.
This changed on Monday when Police received a 999 call from a man with serious injuries at Cornaa Beach. Police then issued a public safety warning, advising residents in several areas to secure their windows and doors.
Sunday
However one resident claimed that a separate incident, involving the man who was the subject of the missing person appeal, had been reported to Police in the early hours of Sunday.
The resident alleged this involved a man entering a house, taking a car which was later crashed, and taking two knives. Other residents also claimed that police officers on Sunday had advised them not to approach the man if they saw him.
Inspector Barker and Sergeant Beaumont both stressed that any decision about releasing information would have been based on established police procedures.
She said that had any information been received that the man could possibly be a danger to anyone else, the search appeal would not have gone out.
Sergeant Beaumont said he was unsure why the decision was taken not to relay a public warning, but explained officers are trained to assess factors like a person’s intentions.
Arrest
The meeting heard that as officers performed first aid to the injured man at Cornaa Beach, a second incident was reported nearby.
This was attended by armed police, who arrested an individual in connection with the overall investigation.
While the officers were not able to provide further details, Inspector Barker said that residents may well be spoken to again and asked people to check their property cameras as officers build a timeline of events.
Despite the dissatisfaction with the overall response over the weekend, several residents did thank the officers for arranging the meeting, agreeing to speak to schools and being as open as they could at that time.