Co Armagh man accused over social media postings about serving police officer's home address

Prosecutors claimed Sean Patrick Martin also took a photograph of the officer alongside his car following a chance encounter in a pharmacy. But defence counsel argued that he was nothing more than a “busybody”.

The 39-year-old accused was arrested after the incident occurred at the chemist in Lurgan on July 6 this year.

With both men attending to pick up prescriptions, Martin was said to have overheard the officer providing his address to staff. The defendant, who knows the policeman, allegedly took a photo of him standing by his car after they left the pharmacy.

Although no vehicle registration details were identified, it is believed to have been sent to a WhatsApp group of up to 15 people.

The court heard that within minutes of the encounter Martin posted on his Facebook profile: “A police officer was stupid enough to give out their address in front of me.” He also sent a message with the policeman’s house number to an account in the name of a deceased friend.

A Crown lawyer claimed that account could be used to store notes and other information.

Martin, of Carrigart Manor in Craigavon, denies charges of collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to terrorists, and publishing or communicating information about members of the armed forces likely to be useful to terrorists.

Prosecution counsel contended that examination of his phone revealed a “worrying” history of searches about IRA weapon-related incidents.

Opposing Martin’s application for bail, she claimed: “This was a serious and sinister attempt to collect information that would be useful to terrorists.”

Andrew Moriarty, defending, told the court Martin has been using his best friend’s messenger account as a way to continue communication after he died last year.

The posting on Facebook was just an innocent observation about the stupidity of the officer revealing his address in a public area, Mr Moriarty submitted.

“The prosecution have been at pains to diminish what (Martin) has said about himself being a bit of a busybody,” the barrister said. “The photograph he took was odd, but he’s somebody who doesn’t have an awful lot going on in their lives and likes drawing attention to himself as the person with local gossip.

“One is dealing with a slightly pathetic or sad individual.”

Mr Moriarty described Martin as completely opposed to dissident republicanism, adding: “He’s quite happy to condemn that type of activity.”

Adjourning the bail application, Mr Justice Scoffield said he wanted to allow more time for checks on the defendant’s phones.