Man convicted of terrorism offences linked to PSNI data breach

Christopher Paul O'Kane, a fifty-three-year-old from Londonderry, has been convicted at Belfast Crown Court of four terrorist offences linked to the PSNI personal data breach in 2023. The offences occurred between 7 and 19 August 2023, following an incident in which the details of all current serving PSNI officers and civilian staff members were mistakenly published online. The data was published in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and included surnames, initials, ranks, grades, locations, and departments. 

O'Kane was arrested ten days after the breach. He had denied preparing terrorist acts, possessing articles for terrorism, including a laptop and mobile phones, and holding documents for terrorist purposes, specifically two spreadsheets with details on serving police personnel. He also denied viewing online videos concerning the construction and detonation of improvised explosive devices.

During the non-jury trial, prosecutors demonstrated that O'Kane actively sought out, accessed, and manipulated the compromised data rather than simply receiving it. The prosecution proved that O'Kane highlighted details of specific officers he knew and conducted internet searches on the remote detonation of explosives.

The defence argued that O'Kane lacked terrorist intent, that the internet searches related to a family fireworks display and that his interest in the data was purely political propaganda to highlight a PSNI failure. Mr Justice Fowler rejected the defence arguments as unsustainable in the light of the compelling circumstantial evidence, convicted O'Kane on all counts, and remanded him in custody. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.

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