Man appears in court over NI police data breach

A 50-year-old antheral has appeared successful tribunal charged with coercion offences linked to the large information breach by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

It is alleged Christopher Paul O'Kane had a spreadsheet containing the names connected a telephone recovered astatine his Dungiven home.

The telephone allegedly had screenshots of sections with officers names, including 1 who was antecedently targeted successful a dissident weaponry attack.

Mr O'Kane was remanded successful custody for 4 weeks.

He was arrested by constabulary astatine his County Londonderry location past Friday.

The information breach happened 2 weeks ago, erstwhile constabulary released the names of much than 10,000 unit and officers by mistake, nether a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

Mr O'Kane is charged with 2 offences:

Coleraine Magistrates' Court, sitting successful Ballymena, was told the 2 phones were recovered successful Mr O'Kane's bedroom.

On 1 of the phones, the spreadsheet had allegedly been downloaded to a file.

It is besides claimed determination were images of definite sections of groups of officers, including those astatine a elder level, and 2 individuals.

One had detained Mr O'Kane for a stop-and-search, portion the 2nd was the unfortunate of an attempted execution successful a weaponry onslaught claimed by the New IRA.

It is besides alleged a telephone contained images of DIY weaponry detonators.

A constabulary detective told the tribunal determination is besides grounds the accused had registered for a website utilized for searching for addresses utilizing surnames.

A defence solicitor said Mr O'Kane had received the record connected WhatsApp and helium had deleted it.

He said helium was not successful possession of the spreadsheet with his knowledge, and helium was unaware it had been downloaded to the phone.

The solicitor stated: "There is nary grounds it had been utilized for immoderate nefarious purposes oregon with immoderate intent."

In effect to questions from the solicitor, the constabulary detective said determination is nary grounds astatine this constituent the spreadsheet had been forwarded by Mr O'Kane.

He could besides not accidental however agelong it had been connected 1 of the phones.

Mr O'Kane did not talk during the hearing, nor did helium basal erstwhile the charges were work out.

He sat successful the dock handcuffed successful betwixt 2 situation officers.