Unsolved Cold Case Murders
Nicole made this Rhyddid Gwybodaeth request to Police Service of Northern Ireland
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,
I am currently doing research for university and I am writing to request a list of unsolved cold case murders from 1990 - present day in Northern Ireland. Specifically, I am looking only for the unsolved murders of female adults and children (all ages and genders). I appreciate that as these cases are unsolved there will be certain information you cannot release, however, I do believe that what I am requesting should be public knowledge under the Freedom of Information Act.
Yours faithfully,
Nicole
This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];
Dear Nicole,
Thank you for your email.
For your correspondence to be logged as a request under the Freedom of Information Act, would you please provide your surname?
The Information Commissioners guidance states "title and/or first name with surname satisfies the requirement for provision of a real name".
Please find below a link to the ICO Guidance on Section 8 entitled valid request - name and address for correspondence.
https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
Unfortunately, I am unable to progress your request without this information.
Kind Regards,
Sharon
FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
Decision Maker
PSNI HQ
Brooklyn
Dear Sharon,
Of course, my surname is Whittaker. Full name: Mrs Nicole Whittaker Dip Crim
Yours faithfully,
Nicole
This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];
6th February 2019
Dear Ms Whittaker,
FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000
I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th February
2019 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 4th February 2019. I note you seek access to the following
information:
From 1990 Unsolved Murders Females and Children
This request will be dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. A response should be sent to you within 20 working
days however I would like to advise you that PSNI are currently
experiencing a delay in the processing of requests and we aim to respond
to your request as soon as possible.
If your request is unclear and clarification is required the 20 day
legislative time limit dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 2000
will be stopped until we receive clarification of your request. The ICO
guidance at paragraph 40 of the link below sets out that the clock begins
anew the day after the clarification is received. It states
“If the requester subsequently provides enough detail to enable the
authority to identify and locate the information, then the authority must
respond to the clarified request within a new 20 working day time limit
with the ‘clock’ starting the day after it receives the required
clarification. “
The link for this is:
[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
In the event where the cost of complying with the request would exceed the
“appropriate level”, which is fixed at £450, as stated in the Freedom of
Information Regulations 2004, it is the policy of the PSNI to close the
request. You will however be notified of this decision and given an
opportunity to refine and resubmit the request.
If your request requires either full or partial transference to another
public authority in order to answer your query, again, you will be
notified.
If you have any queries regarding your request please write or contact the
Freedom of Information Team on 028 9070 0164. Please remember to quote the
reference number listed above in any future communications with the
Freedom of Information Team.
If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you
have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as
possible, or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this
letter. In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can
do so by writing to the Head of Freedom of Information, PSNI Headquarters,
65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or by emailing [email address].
If following an internal review, carried out by an independent decision
maker, you were to remain dissatisfied in any way with the handling of the
request you may make a complaint, under Section 50 of the Freedom of
Information Act, to the Information Commissioner’s Office and ask that
they investigate whether the PSNI has complied with the terms of the
Freedom of Information Act. You can write to the Information Commissioner
at Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. In most circumstances the Information
Commissioner will not investigate a complaint unless an internal review
procedure has been carried out, however the Commissioner has the option to
investigate the matter at his discretion.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Decision Maker
FOI Unit
PSNI HQ Brooklyn
References
Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];
Subject: FOI-2019-00357
23rd February 2019
Dear Ms Whittaker,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
I refer to your request for information dated 4th February 2019 which was
received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on 4th February 2019
concerning:
From 1990 Unsolved Murders Females and Children
Please find attached response to your request.
Yours sincerely
Jane
FOI Decision Maker
FOI Unit
PSNI HQ Brooklyn
Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Police Service of Northern Ireland's handling of my FOI request 'Unsolved Cold Case Murders'.
I requested that the information only pertains to cases involving missing females and children from 1990 - 2019. It's quite alarming to me that cold cases seem to be all over the place within the PSNI and it concerns me greatly.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...
Yours faithfully,
Nicole
This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];
Subject: FOI-2019-00357
25th February 2019
Dear Ms Nicole Whittaker,
FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000
I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated requesting that Police
Service of Northern Ireland review its response to your request for
information concerning:
From 1990 Unsolved Murders Females and Children
An internal review will be conducted in accordance with Police Service of
Northern Ireland's review procedure.
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 an independent
decision maker will carry out a review of this case and advise you in
writing of the outcome.
If you wish to discuss this matter prior to receiving a response please
contact me on 028 9070 0164. Please remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.
If following an internal review you were to remain dissatisfied in any way
with the handling of the request you may make a complaint to the
Information Commissioner’s Office and ask that they investigate whether
the PSNI has complied with the terms of the Freedom of Information Act.
You can write to the Information Commissioner at Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. In most circumstances the Information Commissioner will not
investigate a complaint unless an internal review procedure has been
carried out, however the Commissioner has the option to investigate the
matter at his discretion.
Yours sincerely
FOI Decision Maker
FOI Unit
PSNI HQ Brooklyn
This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];
Subject: FOI-2019-00357
26th March 2019
Dear Ms Whittaker,
FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000
Following your request for us to review our previous response concerning:
From 1990 Unsolved Murders of Females and Children
I can advise you that Police Service of Northern Ireland has now completed
its review - please see attachment.
Yours sincerely,
Ms Morris
Corporate Information
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now