Man, 50, in court for possessing documents following PSNI data breach

Chief Constable believes information could be used by dissident republicans to target police officers.

A man will appear in court on Monday following a data breach involving the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PA Archive)

A man charged with possessing documents following a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data breach will appear in court on Monday.

PSNI said the 50-year-old, who has been charged with possessing documents or records likely to be useful to terrorists and possession of articles for use in terrorism, will appear at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court.

Personal data on all serving members of the PSNI was published earlier this month following an error by a junior member of staff in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Details released included the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed last week that dissident republicans had access to the information and he believed it would be used to intimidate and target police.

A document posted close to the Sinn Fein office in the Falls Road, Belfast, included information about a substantial number of police officers and staff, although their names had been removed.

Multiple data breaches have come to light, including the loss of a police officer’s laptop and notebook which contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle.

A 39-year-old man detained in relation to the breach following a search in Lurgan, Co Armagh on Wednesday has been released on bail.