Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire.
THE Police Ombudsman says the deployment by a PSNI officer in using CS Spray to help detain a 17-year-old in Derry was justified.
The incident happened in February this year.
It was one of three incident’s referred to Dr Michael Maguire’s office by the PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton as all three involved people under the age of 18.
The other two incidents were in Co Antrim and Co Down.
Dr Maguire said CS Spray was used in Derry as officers arrested a 17-year-old boy who had been detained by a member of the public after breaking a shop window.
He said officers wEre wary of being attacked by gathering crowd.
The officers involved said the youth became violent and screamed wildly when they tried to restrain him.
They added that they were conscious that a crowd of youths had gathered nearby, and were concerned that if the situation continued, the crowd would attack.
The officer who used CS Spray said its use allowed officers to restrain the youth and apply handcuffs.
Another officer said he too had drawn his CS Spray but had decided not to use it once he realised it had been used by his colleague.
The member of the public who reported the incident to police confirmed that the youth had been acting aggressively and resisting police prior to the use of CS Spray.
Dr Maguire noted that the officer who used the spray was properly trained in its use, and concluded that his actions had been “lawful, necessary and proportionate.”
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