Irish Republican News · November 3, 2022

Secrecy over PSNI database breach raises collusion fear

Concerns have been raised regarding possible collusion involving a former PSNI member who is facing charges over the use of a police database “to obtain information on a series of individuals”.

The case involves allegations that the man, whose identity has been given an unusual level of protection by the court, obtained information on at least thirteen people.

The former PSNI man is facing a total 77 charges relating to alleged unauthorised access to the force’s records over a three-and-half-year period, between January 2015 and October 2018.

Saoradh expressed concern that those whose information had been breached had not been contacted, and that their lives may have been put in danger. They had a number of questions over the case:

“The first question that needs answered is how was this individual allowed to access so much information without it flagging up? The incidents took place over a three year period.

“Secondly, in an age where rules around data are more stringent than ever, why are there no safeguards in place to prevent such a massive data breach taking place?

“It’s also imperative that it is made public what information he illicitly obtained and more importantly what he intended to do with this information.

“In a part of the world that has witnessed decades of collusion between the Crown Forces and loyalist death squads, its quite possible that this information would eventually find its way into the hands of those who would use it to target Republican activists.”

Saoradh also hit out at the anonymity afforded to the alleged perpetrator.

“While Republicans find themselves plastered over rags masquerading as newspapers on an almost daily basis we are told that this offenders identity is being withheld to protect his safety.

“Why is his safety more important than those who find themselves wrongly accused of a wide range of acts in these newspapers or worse still more important than the safety of those who find themselves at risk due to his actions?

“We once again see the two-tier justice system present in the Occupied Six Counties.”

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