Northern Ireland

Pensioner arrested near goldmine site to make Police Ombudsman complaint

Anti Mining campaigner Cormac McAleer says he will make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman
Anti Mining campaigner Cormac McAleer says he will make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman Anti Mining campaigner Cormac McAleer says he will make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman

An anti-goldmine campaigner has said he intends to make a complaint to the Police Ombudsman after he was arrested near a mine site earlier this week.

Cormac McAleer was detained on suspicion of obstructing a highway and resisting police after an incident close to the proposed goldmine site near Omagh on Wednesday.

A report has now been forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service.

Police intervened after the car he was driving and a lorry, which was travelling in the opposite direction, met on a small country road near Rouskey and neither was able to pass.

The encounter took place just days after the 68-year-old chained himself to a drill rig and indicated he intended to continue his protest.

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “As a complaint has been made to the office of the Police Ombudsman, it would be inappropriate to comment.”