Naomi Long
East Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Underneath the Facebook posts to say that he had passed away, people speculated with such comments as, "Probably high on drugs", "Probably drunk", and, "Typical boy racer". There was all of that speculation. It was hurtful to the family, and it was inaccurate.”
“There are circumstances that we need to consider and be careful of. I was told, for example, that, when the issue of good character references at trial was being looked at in New South Wales — Committee members may wish to look at this for themselves — one of the groups that opposed their removal was representative of domestic abuse victi…”
“It sets out the strategic direction adopted by the Department and key partners to tackle those appalling crimes and protect vulnerable victims of exploitation.”
“The provision seeks to provide protection, via legal advice and representation for complainants, against the use of non-relevant personal material and evidence of previous sexual history being used in the court process.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the wider issue of ensuring that a withdrawal of services never happens again, I think that most of us agree that, although everyone has the right to take industrial action, no one has the right to derail and hold to ransom the entire justice system in that way.”
“Those measures will go some way towards helping to support complainants and enable them to have input into the decision-making process about what records containing their personal and sensitive information are required to be shared with the defence.”
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“The report of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland on abuse of position for sexual purposes by PSNI officers, the Langdale review, the Angiolini inquiry and, most recently, the Katie Simpson review have all emphasised the necessity to ensure that robust and cohesive systems are in place that will safeguard against the wrong people gaining roles that, by their nature, afford them a position of trust and authority. Either through intent or unconscious inability, those individuals have proven their unsuitability for the role, and they should be prevented from gaining access to potential victims in Northern Ireland or elsewhere. The proposed amendments are an important step towards closing that legislative gap and aligning us with the rest of the UK to create a cohesive system of legislation and cooperation.”
“However, it is also the case that the role carries with it a lot of power and influence. For that reason, it is right that police officers should be held to a high standard of conduct. <BR /> <BR />Although it is difficult to predict the impact that a single piece of legislation can have on the criminal justice system, it is important to note the findings on police recruitment and vetting practices of several relevant reports.”
“I did not see the point in my getting up and saying again what I have now said multiple times during this debate, when the Member was not present to hear it. <BR /> <BR />First, today's debate has been useful in providing clarity to those who have engaged in it around the intent of these amendments and how the provisions will be delivered in practice. It is a significant step forward in creating a cohesive system across the UK regions that will safeguard the public and vulnerable members of our society from the actions of those who have proven themselves to be unsuitable for a role in law enforcement. I acknowledge, as many have in the Chamber today, the difficult job that the PSNI has to do and the challenging role that a police officer has to fulfil.”
“I am happy to do so. As you know, at one stage, there were recommendations that police misconduct hearings would be held in public. That is not something that I believe that we are ready for in Northern Ireland. The recommendations related to senior officers, but I still believe that it is a step too far, given the attendant risks of doing the job at this point in time. It is important that there is accountability and that that is visible to the public, but I do not think that it is necessary for the hearings to be held in public or for names to be disclosed more widely, other than where there is a genuine public protection risk.”
“One of the reasons that it is not in the legislation is that we want to be able to have that conversation with the Policing Board, the police, the Police Federation and the Justice Committee to ensure that the regulations reflect our intent. Our intent is absolutely not to turn this into another vehicle for legacy; that is not what we want to do or will do with the regulations.”
“I appreciate the Member's giving way. He has been generous in that respect. <BR /> <BR />First, forfeiture powers are being used. I have to sign them off and have been doing so increasingly over the past months. I believe that that power should be used. The other thing to say is that we are trying to replicate what happens in England and Wales. The legislation there sets out that the powers go back to 2012, because that is when the police code of conduct in England and Wales was established in statute. The comparable date here would be 2016. There is therefore a strong argument that we would have it go back to 2016. The alternative is that we could say in the regulations, for example, "anything up to 10 years". There are different ways to do it.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. To be clear, this does not allow the ombudsman to take a case against a former officer. It allows the ombudsman, where they have investigated an officer, to provide an early report to the appropriate authority. It does not extend the ombudsman's powers.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. As you were drawing your remarks to a close before the break, I indicated that there were a couple of things that I wanted to put on record. Mr Burrows said that he had to try on a number of occasions to get clarity on the issues before us. I set out those issues in my opening remarks, but, for clarity, if we go down the route of the amendments, we can circumscribe the dates in regulation. I explained that at the beginning of the debate. That would vary somewhat from the situation in England and Wales: the furthest date that they can go back is 2012. That date was chosen on the basis of when their code of conduct became live. I think that a similar date for the PSNI is 2016. That can be dealt with by regulation.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In relation to last night's horrific incident in north Belfast, I have sought your permission to step out of the ongoing Consideration Stage of the Justice Bill to participate in a media briefing at 4.00 pm. I do not intend any discourtesy to the House or to Members, but these are very particular circumstances, and it is important that I attend.”
“We do not want to inflict that kind of misery on any other group of people.”
“I appeal to people of good intent not to stretch the police resource, not to force themselves into conflict with the police, and not to do harm to their neighbourhood or their neighbours. Ultimately, there is nothing to be gained from terrorising people who had nothing to do with the incident last night. I have heard already today from numerous people who are concerned about their family, their friends or their work colleagues, and from people who are fearful that, because of the colour of their skin, they will not be safe on public transport or while going about their ordinary daily lives. That is not acceptable. I remember the days when somebody with an accent such as mine drew strange looks in airports. It was not a pleasant experience to be held accountable simply because you shared an accent with somebody who would do harm.”
“I appeal to people who are upset, angry and fearful about what happened last night to bear in mind that, if the police are distracted from the work that they need to do to investigate that incident by unrest on the streets or other crimes being committed, they will have less resource to put to that investigation.”
“I encourage anyone who is fearful for their safety to contact the police immediately. The police will do all in their power to respond.”
“Be calm; continue to work with the police and support them in pursuing their investigation; and do not be drawn in by bad faith actors who simply want to weaponise this situation to drive forward an agenda that is in no one's interest in Northern Ireland.”
“I very much do. I am not sure when I last heard any of the individuals whom the Member mentioned say anything about Northern Ireland. Anything that they have had to say about the UK of late has not been particularly good either. It is the people in north Belfast, and in Northern Ireland more generally, whom I care about. We live in this society, and we recognise how much we have had to overcome in the past to end routine violence and abuse, some of which was also horrific and blood-curdling but perhaps not captured on video. I appeal to people in Northern Ireland to listen to people here who have their interests at heart.”
“It will create something of an anomaly if we do not get the Bill through in the mandate, given that the current commissioner's term is due to end at the point at which a new statutory commissioner would come into being. That will create a challenge for the Department to manage. However, I am confident that, with goodwill and concerted effort, which I have had so far from the Justice Committee on the other Bills that have been brought to it, we can get it through by the end of the mandate. It is a relatively small Bill. I say that, recognising that Members are aware of my proclivities and those of the Chair of the Justice Committee when it comes to amendments. The victims and witnesses Bill is fairly tightly circumscribed and, hopefully, reasonably focused. It should be able to pass without overly long scrutiny.”
“I am pleased to announce that the victims and witnesses Bill was given authority to move forward by the Executive last week and is now with the Speaker's Office, which will do the normal due diligence on it in the hope that it can be introduced in time for the Committee to publish a call for evidence ahead of the summer.”
“Let us see the person responsible for it being held accountable before the law and given a sentence that is proportionate to the seriousness of the crime. The best reassurance that we can give every community is that, if someone is attacked, irrespective of who they are or what they stand for, the perpetrator will be held accountable. That is the best assurance that we can give to anyone in our community today. I hope that the Member will join me in appealing for calm so that the police can do their job without distractions or interference.”
“There are a couple of things that I will say. First, when it comes to rallies, as Members will know, I am not a great believer in bringing large groups of people on to the streets when temperatures are inflamed and emotions are running high. I do not think that that has ever in Northern Ireland's history led to productive outcomes, either for the communities involved or for others. I said earlier that I found the images terrifying and horrific to watch, so I understand why the people whom you talk about who have genuine concerns would be fearful. I ask them to cooperate with the police investigation. Do not distract the police from their investigation by going on to the streets and drawing out police resources. Let the police focus their resources on investigating and prosecuting that crime.”
“First, we clearly have an issue in that particular circumstance, in that a violent individual committed a very violent crime against another person. Far be it from me to diminish the seriousness of that incident, but do we have a problem with violence in this society? I think that the Member knows the answer to that as well as I do. We do have a problem with violence in this society. We have a problem with violence against women and girls. We have high levels of violence against the person. That is why the Department of Justice introduces measures and makes interventions to deal with such matters. Yes, I do think that we have a problem. We have a problem with violence, and we will have to address that across the board, irrespective of the perpetrator or the victim.”
“As I said before lunchtime to your now former colleague the Member for Upper Bann, we will not implement the provisions in the legislation until such times as we have in place a robust mechanism for accountability.”
“Many teachers have given their support to the measures, so it is not the case that this is about the Department of Justice versus teachers, as the Member suggests. Many of those who are highly specialised in dealing with young people recognise that confronting a young person with their actions and the consequences of those actions is often much more effective than imposing penalties. It is important that we listen carefully to what those who work with young people and have experience of achieving desistance have to say on the matter. They have, for example, spent years working in the youth justice system to ensure that young people are safe and that they do not go on to create more victims. <BR /> <BR />As I said, there will still be accountability. I believe that that accountability will be proportionate and appropriate.”
“It is therefore important that we hold children to account in an age-appropriate way, with the right support, so that they can desist from their offending, understand the seriousness of their actions and, hopefully, put them behind them and move on to live productive and constructive lives, which is what we all want for our young people.”
“Schools already have disciplinary policies in place, not all of which, as things stand, require every incident to be referred to the PSNI. As I made clear in the Chamber earlier and will no doubt make clear again in the days to come, this is not about allowing people under the age of 14 not to be held accountable for their actions. It is important that young people be held accountable for them, particularly if those actions involve intimidation or sexual intent. There are public protection and public safety elements that need to be dealt with. I do not believe, however, that a criminal response is always the right one, particularly in the case of younger children.”
“Let us therefore work with the police and hold the individual who is responsible to account and not weaponise the incident against a whole community. That would be a travesty of justice.”
“<BR /> <BR />An investigation is ongoing. It is important that anyone with information contacts the PSNI. I spoke with the Chief Constable this morning, and, all being well, I will be at a press conference with the Chief Constable, the First Minister, the deputy First Minister and others as the afternoon progresses to reinforce the need for us to ensure that every person in our community, irrespective of the colour of their skin, their language, their religion or all those issues, is safe. That was brought home to me this afternoon when I left the Chamber and spoke to a young woman who is doing work experience here. She was shaking and sobbing in fear that she would be associated with what she had seen last night and in shame that it had happened. Let us not forget that, when somebody does something wrong, they are accountable for it.”
“It is vital that people remain calm. What happened last night was obscene. It would be just as obscene for us to inflict more pain and hurt on either that community or other communities that are completely unrelated to the incident that happened last night. It is important that we do not head into that kind of destructive cycle. Of course, bad faith actors will try to weaponise every pain and fear that communities have. <BR /> <BR />I understand entirely why people are frightened by what they saw last night. I found it disturbing and frightening, and I cannot say enough that I am not dismissive of the fear that they feel, but we have to draw a line between feeling fearful or wanting reassurance that you will be safe and seeking to inflame tension, weaponise that fear, bring more harm to communities and create more victims.”
“We talked before about the trauma that is inflicted on victims when there are videos of car accidents and other violence that is seen on our streets. I appeal for people not to share those images, because the family and, especially, the victim deserve privacy and dignity and because the trauma that they will inflict on people who were at the scene is immeasurable.”
“I am more than happy to do that. I reiterate the comments that I made in that regard this morning when we were debating legislation. The Speaker was generous enough to give me the latitude to do so. It is incredibly important to recognise what a horrific scene unfolded last night and how challenging and frightening that it must have been, not only for the residents who initially intervened courageously to try to save a man's life but for those from the PSNI, the Ambulance Service and other services who responded to and were confronted by such horror and who tried to save someone's life. At times, many of us forget just how challenging such situations can be and the trauma that can be felt by the people who experience them. That is one of the reasons why I appealed for people not to share the video.”
“It is also a burden on our policing and justice system that exists nowhere else in the United Kingdom. I very much welcome the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee's narrative on that matter.”
“It is not a Northern Ireland-specific issue: it is a UK Government issue and should be dealt with as such.”
“As the Member will be aware, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee reports are not binding on the Assembly and are a matter for Westminster. However, we will, of course, and always do reflect on any important report that deals with the issue of policing. <BR /> <BR />One of the report's key findings was the Chief Constable and my clear agreement that the continued burden of legacy on the justice system, particularly on policing, is not a sustainable one. I have already been engaging with the Chief Constable, the Secretary of State and, more widely, with the Government on that issue. It is incredibly important that we make the case that, with any new legacy arrangements, the cost of servicing those legacy arrangements and the residual cost of dealing with legacy needs now to be met by the UK Government.”
“I will continue to work with partners within the remit of my role to enable further movement towards a safer society in Northern Ireland.”
“That progress is all the more notable given the very real pressures that policing continues to navigate, particularly around constrained resources and legacy issues. Despite that, Northern Ireland remains one of the safest places to live, work and raise a family in these islands, reflecting both effective policing and safer communities. <BR /> <BR />I note the assessment of the current security threat and, in particular, the positive direction in which Northern Ireland has moved over the past 25 years. Whilst we must never be complacent, particularly given recent events in Lurgan and Dunmurry police stations, it is gratifying to note the sustained decline in the number of security incidents over the past decade.”
“Patten envisaged a new beginning for policing in Northern Ireland that is grounded in accountability, community partnership and policing with the consent of all. Twenty-five years on, while it is right to reflect on progress, it is wrong to suggest that the vision of Patten has not been realised. <BR /> <BR />The transformation of policing in Northern Ireland has been profound. Today, the Police Service of Northern Ireland operates within a human rights-based framework, subject to rigorous and independent oversight and anchored in community-focused policing. Public confidence in policing and the wider justice system is strong. Significant progress has been made over that time to ensure that the service is accountable, community-based and accepted by all parts of society.”
“If the Member wishes to engage with me further on the particulars of the areas of concern that she is raising, I am more than happy to meet her to discuss it.”
“To reassure the Member, I say that I have met representatives of the public protection branch — senior officers and others who work at the coalface in that work — and I am conscious of the difficult and challenging work that they do. Obviously, we want to be able to get them more resources to do that job better. If changes can be implemented as part of the work that we are doing to speed up justice, we would, of course, be open to that and regularly meet to discuss that. It is not just a Department of Justice project: the project has been endorsed by the criminal justice board, which includes the PSNI, the PPS, the Lady Chief Justice and, crucially, the Victims' Commissioner. It is important that all those different aspects can be discussed.”
“First, not all the delays that we experience in the justice system are down to the current action by the criminal Bar, although it has contributed significantly to them. As you know, the accelerated review concluded, as planned, on 27 April. I made decisions and met the criminal Bar and the solicitors' criminal Bar last week, and I put those decisions to them. They have been welcomed by the Law Society and the solicitors' criminal Bar, and I await the outcome of meetings that are going on in the criminal Bar and the Bar Council itself for any response that they may have to the proposals.”
“The pace of delivery will, however, remain closely linked to the resources that are available to support implementation. <BR /> <BR />Published Northern Ireland case processing statistics show a slight improvement between 2023-24 and 2024-25, with the median time for criminal cases across all courts falling from 190 to 189 days.?That is also down considerably from the height of 226 days in 2021-22.?That has been driven mainly by quicker processing times in the Magistrates' Court. In the Crown Court, charged cases have improved slightly, but case processing times for cases proceeding by way of summons remain long. The Criminal Bar Association action has had a significant impact on the Crown Court and may impact on the pace at which those reform initiatives can be implemented fully.”
“The third project, on early engagement, is exploring earlier engagement between police, prosecution and defence to move cases through the system more quickly. The focus is on better file quality, timeliness and reviewing?'Better Case Management'?procedures. Those projects are still in pilot phase but are showing early signs of improvement. The fourth project, on the remit of the Magistrates' Court, is considering options to expand Magistrates' Court jurisdiction. Finally, the project on digital, which supports all the speeding up justice projects, is implementing digital initiatives to help to embed reform and support long-term sustainability. Taken together, these reforms are intended to reduce avoidable delay, improve the use of criminal justice resources and ensure that court capacity is focused on the most serious cases.”
“There is a clear need to reform and modernise the justice system. Along with justice partners, I have prioritised the speeding up justice programme of work, which is delivered across five key projects. <BR /> <BR />The first project is on out-of-court disposals, where plans are in place to bring forward secondary legislation to let police deal with more low-level offences using penalty notices. That will divert suitable cases from the courts and free up resources for more serious crime. The second project is on committal reform. Work is progressing on direct committal, which I intend to implement later this year. That will help the most serious cases reach the Crown Court more quickly.”
“Therefore, in the interests of ensuring the effective progression of the Justice Bill, I have decided to look at alternative options in the form of other legislative vehicles that will be available to me in bringing forward those proposals within the current mandate. That includes the potential to use the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill or, indeed, the victims and witnesses Bill.”
“As Members will be aware, I had hoped to be able to do that at Consideration Stage of the Justice Bill for new offences to criminalise the creation or sharing of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfake images. Unfortunately, we were unable to do it via an LCM, which would have brought us into line with England and Wales. It would also have left us with a gap, given the structure of our own laws. Therefore, it is better that we do it locally and have the opportunity to scrutinise it here in the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />As we have moved on into the drafting phase, however, it has become apparent that this is an exceptionally complex issue and that more time is needed to ensure a proportionate, robust and comprehensive response to addressing all aspects of that behaviour.”
“Therefore, on 14 January 2026, I launched a review of further sentencing policy issues to identify any legislative proposals that may be taken forward in the next mandate.”
“The Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill was introduced to the Assembly on Tuesday 3 March. Second Stage took place on Monday 16 March. Committee Stage began on 18 March, with the Bill being referred to the Committee for Justice for scrutiny. The Committee launched a call for evidence on 31 March, which concluded on 22 May. <BR /> <BR />The key purpose of the Bill is to improve the effectiveness and transparency of sentencing, and, in so doing, enhance confidence in sentencing decisions and the criminal justice system more widely. The Bill includes clauses to implement many of the recommendations arising from the last sentencing policy review, as well as the introduction of Charlotte's law and a statutory aggravator model for hate crime. Sentencing is one area of public policy that is constantly evolving.”
“If this is a growing problem with which we will have to wrestle, as other places have, I do not see it as exceptional any longer but, rather, as a matter of routine that we need to manage within our estate.”
“We have a continuously high remand population. <BR /> <BR />The other thing that we have done is ask for additional resources so that we can provide modular accommodation, which would allow us to upscale the number of beds that we have available in the prison system, not on a temporary basis but permanently, so that we are able to accommodate increasing numbers in an appropriate manner that does not cause the crowding that can lead to a more volatile environment for prison officers to work in. I have also given the Prison Service the authority to recruit new prison officers, and that is happening as we speak. There are a lot of things that we can do. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to early release, I am very reluctant to interfere, other than in exceptional circumstances, with the length of sentence that has been given by a judge.”
“There are a number of things that we are looking to do. I already mentioned the bail support pilot that we hope to roll out, which will allow us to trial alternative methods of supporting people while on bail — so, outside the prison system. We are starting that with women in the first instance, but, if successful, we will try to roll it out across the male estate. That is important in giving judges, the PSNI and prosecutors the confidence that bail is a legitimate alternative to remand. Too often, people are placed on remand as a way of managing risk, but that risk is being managed in a way that could be managed in the community just as effectively. We want to create that confidence. More people are on remand at this point in time in Northern Ireland than in any other jurisdiction on these islands.”
“Whilst there were recommendations that suggested where improvements can be made — we take those seriously and will implement them — suggesting that those prisons are out of control is fundamentally to deny the reality that we have two of the best prisons in the UK here in Northern Ireland.”
“First of all, I recognise the incredibly difficult job that prison officers do, and I am never shy about saying that I think that they place themselves in a very difficult role. It is a very challenging role in which they deal with people who are vulnerable and volatile, often in equal measure. It is undoubtedly the case that the more people who are in a prison and the more crowding that there is, the more likely it is that people will behave in a way that is disruptive or even dangerous to themselves and others. However, for the Member to suggest that prisons or wings are out of control is simply not the case. I ask him to read the recent Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland reports on Hydebank Wood women's prison, Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre, Hydebank Wood Secure College and Magilligan prison.”