Former council chief executive charged under FOIA
19/01/2026 | Newsletter
Anne Marion Donaghy, the former chief executive of East Antrim Borough Council, has been charged with multiple breaches of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). The 55-year-old faces allegations of altering, attempting to alter, and aiding the concealment of records to prevent lawful disclosure. The charges relate to emails from February 2021 that were allegedly deleted or hidden after lawful FOIA requests for information were received.
The case follows Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) searches of council offices in 2021 and 2022. It is understood that the investigation concerns correspondence regarding the withdrawal of council staff working under Northern Ireland Protocol trade conditions. Staff were briefly removed following reports of paramilitary threats, though police later found no evidence to support such claims.
In addition to Donaghy, 49-year-old Aaron McClellan faces a charge of attempting to alter records. Defence lawyers have challenged the court's jurisdiction, questioning the four-year delay in issuing a summons and seeking confirmation that the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to the proceedings. The case has been adjourned until 29 January to address these procedural issues and establish if the necessary legal requirements for the prosecution have been met.
Training Announcement: The BCS Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information offers an in-depth examination of the legislation, codes of practice, frameworks, standards, and ethics concerning the right to request recorded information held by public authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Find out more.
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