Friday, 22 July 2011

BBC News - Derry police in 'sham wedding' arrests blunder

Derry police in 'sham wedding' arrests blunder

Yanan Sun and Neil McIlwee Yanan Sun and Neil McIlwee's wedding was stopped by police

A Castlederg man has rejected an apology from the police after they interrupted his wedding on suspicion it was "a sham marriage".

The police wrongly arrested Neil McIlwee and his pregnant fiancee, Yanan Sun, moments before the ceremony at the Guildhall in Londonderry on Tuesday.

Chief Inspector John Burrows said the police had acted in good faith, but sometimes they got things wrong.

Neil McElwee said "sorry" would not make up for the distress caused.

"It just doesn't add up - something on that scale based on an anonymous letter and some paperwork faxed through about two hours before the wedding. It just doesn't happen like that," he said.

"So there's a lot of questions that need [to be] answered and there's a lot of people responsible for this mess-up.

"An apology? It's just no good - apologies won't give us our day back. It won't make everything better."

After police realised their mistake and released the couple they were married the next day in nearby Castlederg