Northern Ireland

Michael Maguire prepares for life outside ombudsman's office

Outgoing Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Outgoing Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire. Picture by Hugh Russell. Outgoing Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire. Picture by Hugh Russell.

As Michael Maguire prepares for life outside the Police Ombudsman’s office he revealed he has recently completed his first novel.

While giving little away about the plot he confirmed that the untitled political thriller, which is set in the north, was penned over recent years.

Although he intends to take things easy in the coming months he already has his sights set on work and intends to travel to Melbourne in Australia later in the year to take up a visiting professorship.

The legal world in the state of Victoria was gripped by controversy earlier this year when it emerged that a lawyer was also working as a police informer.

He also holds an honorary professorship at Queens University in Belfast and expects to be kept busy on that front.

Married in 2015, Mr Maguire cycles in his spare time.

A father-of-three, he is originally from Belfast and the youngest of 10 children and has seven sisters and two brothers.

At a recent leaving ‘do’ to mark his departure from the Police Ombudsman’s office, his older sisters were invited as a surprise.

“It doesn't matter whether you are the Police Ombudsman, put you in a room with my sisters and you are still the youngest brother,” he said.

“And that is I think a good thing, because it kind of grounds you.”