Lost republican data list ‘not a deliberate act’

Watchdog raps PSNI officer failings

A PSNI officer failed to take care of sensitive information after an email with six republicans’ names and addresses was found on a street, a watchdog said yesterday.

Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire probed the matter after the document was spotted under a cop’s car wheel in

Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

It had been in the possession of an officer who visited “the home of a loyalist on official business”.

Dr Maguire said: “The circumstances of the loss of this information gave rise to understandable concerns among those named and in the community and impacted on public confidence in police.

“It is unclear exactly how the document came to be missing but my investigation found no evidence that it was as a result of a deliberate act.

“What is clear, however, is the officer responsible failed to take proper care of sensitive personal information.”

The email had been printed by a PSNI officer heading to Rasharkin to deliver a republican band parade determination on March 27, 2016.

They then visited the home of a loyalist in Ballymoney.

The officer denied giving it to the man but could not explain how it went missing in the “accidental” loss. Dr Maguire submitted a file to the PPS which decided the test had not been met for prosecution under the Data Protection Act or Misconduct in Public Office.

He recommended the officer be disciplined for breaching the police code of ethics by failing to maintain the confidentiality of personal information. Chief Insp Mark Mcclarence said the officer’s failings “have been addressed by the service”.