Man, 50, will appear in court following major data breach at PSNI

A man charged with possession of documents in connection with a serious data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will appear in court on Monday.

Due to an error made by a younger employee when responding to a freedom of information request, personal data of all currently active members of the PSNI was released last Tuesday.

Details released included each employee’s last name and first letter, their rank or grade, their location, and the unit in which they work.

A 50-year-old man was charged with possession of documents or records that could be useful to terrorists and possession of items for use in terrorism.

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

A 39-year-old man was also arrested in connection with the breach after a search in Lurgan, County Armagh, on Wednesday and released on bail.

On Monday, PSNI Police Chief Simon Byrne confirmed that 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 attack police.

Also on Monday, a document containing information on a significant number of police officers and staff, but whose names had been removed, was posted near the Sinn Féin offices on Falls Road.

Several data breaches have come to light since last week, including the loss of a police officer’s laptop and notebook containing data on 42 officers and staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle.