County Derry Post

The Police Ombudsman has been urged to launch a probe after a man’s body lay undiscovered in a river for a week.

 

It emerged last night that Paul Gordon’s body lay undetected in the River Moyola after his car flipped over a bridge at Derrynoid Road, Draperstown, and landed in swollen waters sixty feet below.

 

And although the 48 year old’s car was only discovered by a local farmer last Saturday, it emerged at the weekend that the PSNI received reports of an accident a full seven days earlier.

 Independent Sinn Fein councillor Patsy Groogan says the Police Ombudsman should investigate the incident.

“The police say they came out here but they missed the car but if they came out then show me the records,” he said.

 

“You have to wonder if they were out here and had seen that car in the water maybe this man’s life could have been saved.”

 

A stone mason by trade, Mr Gordon originally came from Carrickfergus.

 

It is understood his red Alfa Romeo car was carried several hundred metres down the River Moyola by flood water before coming to a rest.

 

Draperstown man Colm O’Kane witnessed the police recovery  operation.

 

“It was lying upside down in the middle of the river. There were a lot of   stones in the car and they started to shovel them out.

 

“Then someone said there was a body in the car. I left then, I didn’t really want to be there after that.”

 Local newsagent David O’Kane knew the dead man.

“A lot of young people knew him around here. I didn’t know him socially, but he would have been in the shop a lot. He was a quiet fellow.”

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “Police are appealing for information regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of Paul Gordon.

“They particularly want to hear from anyone who saw the 48 year old man in the weeks leading up to Saturday, December 8th.”