A second family has told the BBCNI that a police officer already on suspension for is believed to have tried to share images of a dead man.
Jim Lennon was 46-year-old when he died in 2012.
Jim Lennon took his own life in 2012.
27th July, 2022.
His family said the Police Ombudsman told them in 2017 that an officer was being investigated for allegedly taking images of his body from the PSNI database.
It is understood it is the same officer who was suspended on full pay for five years as part of an investigation into 11 separate but related incidents.
It is understood it is the same officer who was suspended on full pay for five years as part of an investigation into 11 separate but related incidents.
The Lennon family said they were told the police officer also tried to pass the images on to a colleague.
No charges have been brought against the officer, but a file has been sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
The PPS said the case was under consideration by a senior public prosecutor.
Earlier this month, it emerged that two Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers had been investigated for more than three years over allegations they manipulated the body of a person who died by suicide and shared photos and a video online.
One of the those officers was suspended while the Police Ombudsman investigated.
Jim's sister Deirdre said she has lost faith in the PSNI/RUC
Jim Lennon took his own life on 24 July 2012. He was 46.
His family said he was "the life and soul of the party who loved singing and racing his pigeons".
His sister, Deirdre Lennon, told BBC News NI: "His suicide broke our family, we were absolutely devastated."
She said their grief had turned to horror.
"Jim's death for us was a complete shock - we couldn't come to terms with the fact that he had taken his own life," she said,
"And then for this to happen. We just couldn't believe it.
"It is just sick. Why would anyone do this to another human?"
The Lennon family said Jim's death came as a complete shock. IMAGE SOURCE, LENNON FAMILY
Ms Lennon said she kept the Police Ombudsman investigation a secret from most of her family for years.
"Me and my brother shielded it from the rest of the family," she added.
"I just couldn't tell them. It was just too awful.
"My only sister never knew, she died last year and never knew. It was so bad for us that I was trying to keep her safe."
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"These are officers we are supposed to trust. Not a chance would I ring the cops now. No chance. I have no faith in them. How are you supposed to?" she said.
"We are just devastated. It has been a hard five years. We couldn't tell anyone. But I can't do it no more. I just want justice for my brother."
The Police Ombudsman said it had "conducted a criminal investigation and sent a file of evidence to the PPS. It is for the PPS to determine if officers under investigations should face prosecution".
In a statement, the PPS said it had received an investigation file on 23 March from the Police Ombudsman "in respect of a range of potential offences including misconduct in a public office, harassment, offences contrary to the Data Protection Act and the Computer Misuse Act and theft".
It continued: "The file is under consideration by a senior public prosecutor and we are obtaining the advices of senior counsel. Decisions will issue in due course after a thorough consideration of all available evidence."
It has now emerged that the police officer involved in these allegations has now been dismissed from the service by the chief constable as a result of a separate misconduct incident.
It has now emerged that the police officer involved in these allegations has now been dismissed from the service by the chief constable as a result of a separate misconduct incident.
Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan told the BBC the case was "beyond belief".
"How did this happen? Where was the management? What was going on?" she said.
"I can't think how it could have taken five years, with a man on full pay, to come to the conclusion that this is not an officer who should be serving with the PSNI.
"This is a shocking waste of public money and it undermines confidence in policing."
SDLP Policing Board member Sinéad McLaughlin said further allegations about PSNI/RUC officers sharing images of suicide victims was "extremely concerning".
"We need to clarify if there have been further incidents of this nature and what steps the PSNI/RUC are taking to address the concerns raised as a result," she said.
"Any failure to properly deal with the situation will put public confidence in our police service at risk," she added.
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly, who also sits on the Policing Board, said the reports were "deeply disturbing and shocking".
"I have spoken to the Chief Constable Simon Byrne and he has agreed to meet to discuss these very serious issues," he said.
"This is a matter of public confidence in the police and it must be transparent, accountable and fair," he added.
With many thanks to: BBC News NI and Kelly Bonner for the original publication.
Follow these links to find out more on this story: 'They'll always be the RUC to me'! pictures believed to have been taken of a suicide victim by PSNI/RUC officers, which were later shared contained graphic and sectarian content
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