McBride denies assaulting teen

Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride has denied assaulting a teenage relative and has said he had only “admonished” her for her behaviour.

Mcbride said that he loved her very much.

“Lately‚ I became concerned that her marks at school had dropped substantially and her behaviour was somewhat rebellious. That was my reason for admonishing her‚” McBride said in a statement.

The statement was released after reports that he assaulted the 15-year-old last Sunday.

In an interview with the Sunday Times‚ the girl claimed McBride threatened her life after throttling her and punching her in the face.

“He looked directly at me‚ saying that he wasn’t finished with me. He told me he would kill me‚” she was quoted as saying.

McBride has denied that he assaulted the girl‚ saying it was not possible for him to drive and assault her.

“It would have been impossible for me to drive and ‘assault’ and ‘throttle’ her at the same time.

“I deny that I assaulted her and that she had any injuries when I left her...” McBride said.

He said he had found a letter his relative had written which suggested a possible “experimentation with drugs”.

“I expressed concern about all this as it could possibly explain the recent change in personality. I would like to get help for (her) so that she can get back to her former bubbly self.”

McBride said the incident was a “normal family disagreement” which has been turned into a “public spectacle” to get at him.

“I have noticed that other people‚ including those investigated by the Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID)‚ have inveigled themselves into my family matters... – only for their own scores to settle with me...”