Man due before magistrates on Monday following major PSNI data breach

By Claudia Savage, PA
Published 20th Aug 2023, 16:16 BST
PSNI chief constable Simon ByrnePSNI chief constable Simon Byrne
PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne
​A man will appear in court on Monday charged with possessing documents in relation to a major data breach at the PSNI.

In an error made by a junior member of staff when responding to a routine Freedom of Information request, personal data on all currently serving members of the PSNI was published last Tuesday.

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.

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The data sheet included information on PSNI officers working closely with MI5.

UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt. Photo: PacemakerUUP MLA Mike Nesbitt. Photo: Pacemaker
UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt. Photo: Pacemaker

A 50-year-old man has been charged with possessing documents or records likely to be useful to terrorists and possession of articles for use in terrorism.

He will appear at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday, PSNI said.

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

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On Monday PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed that the information from the data breach was in the hands of dissident republicans. Mr Byrne said he believed dissidents would use the information to intimidate and target police.

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

Multiple data breaches have come to light since last week, 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 second non-scheduled meeting of the Policing Board to discuss the string of data breaches is due to take place on Tuesday.

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UUP MLA and board member Mike Nesbitt said there are “several questions arising out of the timeline” of events published by the PSNI – relating to the theft of a police laptop, radio and data on 200 officers and police staff from an officer’s private vehicle in Newtown abbey on July 6.

More than 3,000 PSNI employees have now registered an interest in a possible legal action against their employers.